Bard's Tale
by Storyjumper
Summary: Just another mission for Robin and the rest of the team, or is it? Dreams start to bother him as this mission progresses. He slowly recovers memories; memories he would not have forgotten willingly. Pieces fall into place and things are set in motion. What is the cost of saving the future? Is any price too high? Nothing is set in stone. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Robin stared openly at the beauty of the place he now stood in. A vast starry night sky stretched endlessly above him. His wonder was only magnified when he looked down and discovered the beauty of the sky was reflected up from the ground. On closer inspection he found it was not glass that he stood on, but water. Even slight sounds echoed around the endless space. Ripples spread out from each step he took as he walked forward. How am I standing on water he wondered? It was not lost upon him that a perfectly normal human was standing on water. A soft voice brought him from his thoughts.

"It's not like you to be at a loss of words, Robin." The voice echoed around him like a sweet chorus in the silence. Robin's gaze found a figure sitting in the gloom a little ways in front of him. Her legs were curled in front of her and her hands clasped together resting on her legs. She was dressed in lose dark sweat pants, a gray T-shirt that was several sizes too big, and an ancient looking traveling cloak with the hood thrown up over her head. Her whole face was concealed. She cocked her head to the side, "Something wrong?" she voice was soft and stirred something in his mind. Memories he couldn't accesses rubbed at the surface of his sub conscious. An emotion tugged painfully at his heart.

Guilt?

Glancing at the speaker revealed no clues about his reaction to her. He couldn't see any of her facial features thanks to her hood. Robin stepped a little closer in an attempt to make out her face under the hood to no avail.

"Who are you?" The girl sighed and crossed her legs with what at first he thought was exaggerated slowness, but on closer inspection made him think she was very weak. The girl seemed too tired to even rise. Robin wondered why someone so young would be this weak. She leaned back against a rock he hadn't noticed until now. She seemed to consider his question for a moment.

"I am your friend." Was her soft reply. Robin now studied her intently.

"Uh-huh, how do I know what you are saying is the truth? I can't even see your face." It was a very reasonable question so he was a little thrown when soft laughter echoed around him. She laughed so hard her body shuck. His stomach did an odd flip.

"Always questions with you. Batman trained you well. But to answer your question, you know because you feel it. You would know if I lied to you." Unease settled over Robin, because her words held a power of their own and they rang with nothing but truth. He took a fearful step back. How was this even possible he wondered?

"Who are you?" he asked again trying not to let the edge of fear show. The girl chuckled clearly amused at his expense and not fooled. She slowly raised her hands to show they were empty.

"There's no need to be afraid silly, I told you I am your friend and I will remain so. I swear." The stars suddenly burned brighter and almost blinded Robin. When everything settled back to normal and his eyes readjusted Robin looked around. A glowing over the girl's heart drew his gaze. At first he thought it was a snake coiled up, but on closer inspection revealed the serpent had wings of a dragon. Behind the dragon was a book and crossed swords behind the tome. "You will not come to harm so long as I can help it." Robin noted out of the corner of his eye that the back of his right hand glowed with the same crest. It flashed once and warmed his skin then seemed to sink into his flesh where it vanished entirely. Though the warmth now spread to the rest of him. Robin rubbed his hand nervously checking for anything that would prove his skin had been glowing just moments before. The woman laughed again. The beautiful sound stirred something deep in his mind and his heart ache.

"Alright if you're a friend then tell me, where are we?" She looked around at the surrounding glittering world.

"That is a very good question, one I think you should answer, as this is your dream." Robin blinked and was suddenly wide awake.


	2. Chapter 2

Megan was walking past the couch and gasped,

"Oh, Robin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Robin waved her off.

"It's alright, I shouldn't be sleeping right now anyway." He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What's everyone doing right now?" Megan smiled and quickly rattled off their friend's whereabouts when she had last seen them.

"Wally and Kaldu'ahn are sparing, Conner is with Wolf and Sphere fixing his bike, and I don't know where other three are at the moment."

"KF and Kaldur'ahm?" There was no way he was going to miss that. Robin jumped to his feet and darted through the mountain to the giant computerized mats. Sure enough Wally and Kaldur'ahm were grappling on the computerized mat. Kaldur'ahm was holding Wally tightly and just barely managing to keep the other boy's feet from touching the ground. Wally was struggling like a wild man trying to get free. Wally started to twist in Kaldur'ahn's until her was a blur. Kaldur'ahn was forced to drop him sending the other boy spinning dizzily to the floor. Wally was just rising when abruptly the match came to a halt when Batman appeared on the monitor.

"Everyone the briefing room." It was like a giant switch had been flipped in everyone's mind. Everyone had the same serious face as they rushed to the briefing room. Batman walked in and stood in front a large screen. Once everyone was assembled Batman began,

"A few minutes ago there was an attempt to assassinate two UN workers." Batman clicked a button on the remote he held and the screen divided in two separate camera feeds. It showed a man walking down a hallway in the feed to the right. The left feed had a woman in a large board room. Both places appeared empty until at the same time shadows seemed to unfurl to reveal two men dressed in old animal skin clothing. A howl echoed out of the speakers as each man stalked towards their victims drawing a knife. Suddenly both men stopped as if restrained by a giant hand. Their weapon hands trembled as some unseen force made the would be assassins drop to their knees and both struggled to maintain their grips on their weapons. Their appearances shimmered and they took on the form of a modern day soldier for a brief moment. Then they flicked back to their wild man look. By this time both their intended targets had fled and found guards. The assassins simply slipped back into the shadows and vanished.

"Wow, I've never seen magic like that." Zatanna was studying the way the two men had melded with the shadows. She rewound the clip to the part of them stepping out and watched it again. Robin watched it again and felt an odd itching feeling like when something reminds you of something else but you can't place it.

"Doctor Fate does not believe it was magic. Apparently it does not follow the normal laws of magic. However we have no other explanation for how they managed what they did. We went back and searched the shadows and we didn't find any clues other than this." The videos were minimized and a single hair appeared on the screen. "All we know about it is that it comes from some type of wolf and that there is nothing like it here on earth."

"So, you want us to protect them from future attack?" guessed Wally.

"No, your primary mission will be to capture the assassins. We would like to know how they were able to do this and who ordered the hits." The screen cleared off. "You will be divided into two separate teams. Aqua Lad you will lead a team consisting of Kid Flash, Rocket, and Zatanna. Robin you will lead the second team with Artemis, Miss Martian, and Superboy." With that the group split into the two separate squads and headed out. Robin's group was watching over the woman. She was tall, dark skin that was flawless, and she dressed impeccably; a blouse that was neatly pressed and tucked into a long pencil skirt. Papers were scattered around her on the table with red pen marks all over them. She twirled the pen between her fingers seemingly completely oblivious to the four people gathered around the room or the mounting tension.

The clock ticked in an endless drone behind them. Robin paced by the door his eyes peering at every shadow; waiting. Miss Martian was hovering in a corner, Superboy was standing stoically over by the window, and Artemis seemed to be intently inspecting one of her arrows as she sat crossed legged on the desk. The continued hours had ticked slowly by with nothing to show for it. Then at exactly two in the morning something was suddenly different. The smell of wet dog waft into the room along with a feeling Robin couldn't place. Robin glanced around the room but saw nothing.

_Miss Martian, you sense anything? _The feeling of unease rose like a foreboding mist in the back of Robin's mind.

_No, why?_ Robin didn't answer because he had nothing but a feeling.

_Superboy?_

_Nothing._ His nose twitched like he might sneeze.

_Artemis?_ Artemis glanced around the room and wrinkled her nose like she smelt something nasty.

_No, but it does stink._

_Exactly, somehow I doubt a dog just entered the room. _The shadow cast by the door unraveled and the man walked out of nothingness. The stench of wet dog hit them harder as the big man stepped out brandishing an antler dagger. His deerskin jerkin was roughly made and was well worn. A thick black wolf fur cloak bellowed behind him as he lunged for his intended victim. Superboy jumped the table and met the attacker head on. Time seemed to slow as the man swung under Superboy and lashed viciously at the stunned woman. Miss Martian dragged the woman and the chair she was sitting in to the other side of the room. Artemis sprang in front of the woman and fired two arrows into the man's thigh. He didn't even grunt in pain; he swiftly broke the shafts off and continued to stalk forward even as his blood flowed freely down his body. This time he threw his dagger at Artemis. She knocked it away with her bow but then found herself nose to nose with the assassin. His fist was a blur until it connected squarely with her jaw. Robin felt Artemis disconnect from Megan as she was knocked out.

"Artemis!" Miss Martian was just barely able to catch her. The force behind their friend carried both girls back against window. Then window shattered sending both girls tumbled out.

"Megan!" Superboy was about to rush out the broken window when Miss Martian flew back in carrying Artemis's unconscious body. Robin didn't even think as he launched himself on his attackers back. No one messed with his friends without some serious hassling if he had anything to say about it

"Superboy!" Superboy turned away from Miss Martian and slammed his fist into the man's face. The man stepped back and dropped to one knee, he wobbled like he might collaspe. A howl spilt the air and his cloak came alive. The cloak's hood formed into a wolf head and tried to bite Robin. Robin scrambled back and threw a knife at the wolf that was now taking form behind the assassin. The wolf chomped down on the blade and glared at Robin. Robin watched and shuddered as the beast approached him. It didn't seem solid, like it was made of shadow. It spat out the knife which exploded next to him. Robin was sent toppling over and the wolf rushed him. Teeth flashed near his face. Fear was a tangible weight in his stomach as he struggled to keep the massive jaws from closing around his throat. He jerked the muzzle away and the teeth scraped painfully down his shoulder. Something in him screamed in rage. Strength flooded his limbs and he threw the dog off him and threw a small flash bang grenade at the creature. It whimpered when the blinding light flashed and a bag went off. Robin ignored the ringing in his ears as he moved into position to attack the wolf again, only to find the beast had mysteriously vanished.

_Stop him. Poison master. Hemlock. Suicide if caught. Mouth._ Robin had just enough time to see the man graze his intended target with a small knife and step back.

"Superboy! Stop him! He's got poison in his mouth!" To Robin relief Superboy didn't even question him, he simply slammed his fist into the man's mouth, breaking most of his teeth in the process. When Superboy withdrew his hand there was a small pouch in his hand. "Miss Martian tie him up." The curtains seemed to shred themselves into long strips. Then they started winding up the man's torso and arms. Robin rushed forward to their charge. "Anyone who was cut by the blades needs to get to the hospital. Everything he had was poisoned with hemlock." He clicked the radio in his ear. "Aqua Lad, you copy?"

"I hear you loud and clear. But it is too late for our assassin. He took a large dose before we could stop him. Other than that only Kid Flash got scraped." The sound of sirens was blaring outside the broken window interrupted Robin's thoughts.

"Take the body and our assassin back to the cave I'll give the emergency workers a heads up." Robin jumped out the window, landing near the emergency vehicle. Immediately pulled aside the beautiful brunette paramedic. "The people you are going to be treated for hemlock poisoning. It will be in a concreted form so please hurry." The woman looked him up and down.

"Hemlock you say? Normally the poisoning is accidental, it hasn't been used in an actual murder a long time." The woman turned back to her other partner and said "We will need Phenobarbital. Hemlock poisoning." Then the other paramedic rummaged through the cabinets until he found a vile. In only moments the UN member was brought down her body trembling and seizing. The paramedics had her on a gurney and were rushing her to the hospital before Robin could say anymore. Kid Flash came to stand beside him looking at the retreating ambulance with great dismay. His whole body started to shiver

_Hand on him. Won't make Hospital, poison spread. I'll help. _The voice panted in his mind like the speaker had just finished running a marathon. Robin glanced at Wally who was starting to shake. If he ran to the hospital it would only spread the poison that much faster, even with his speed he might not make it to a hospital before the poison stopped his body from functioning. The voice hadn't been wrong yet Robin mused. Placing his hand on Wally he steered him to a bench.

"Maybe you should sit down KF." Warmth spread out from Robin's hand and entered Wally, in a matter of minutes his shaking had subsided and he leaned his head back against the wall drawing in deep breathes.

"I feel better now." He flexed his hand to reassure himself that the shaking had stopped.

"Good, then we should probably get back to the cave."

"What about Artemis? I heard she was hurt." Robin tried not to smile. Wally might hit on Megan whenever possible, but it seemed that it was Artemis who was always at the forefront of his mind. He hoped his friend would wake up and notice soon.

"Miss Martian is bringing her back to the cave." Wally nodded and slowly got to his feet using a hand on Robin's shoulder to steady himself. Robin led his friend off to the Zeta tubes to catch a ride back to the cave.


	3. Chapter 3

Once back he took Wally to the med center to get checked out. Then Robin went back to the main briefing room. Batman was there silently reviewing the tapes from the second attack. Then he turned to the assembled group teens aside from Artemis, Megan, and Wally.

"Your mission was to bring back the assassins alive. All in all, you did well, considering we didn't know they would use poison." Then his eyes briefly rested on Robin. "How did you know they were using Hemlock?" Everyone's eyes turned to Robin and he wasn't sure how he should answer.

"I…" how had he known? He thought he heard Miss Martian over the telepathic link, but now he wasn't so sure. Out of nowhere a story filled his mind. It had been a story he had read a long time ago. Almost without thought he walked to the computer and pulled up a copy of the short story. It had been published anomalously in his middle school the year he had joined that school. The story was about an assassin and a raven haired woman who traveled with him. The assassin was part of a cult that didn't believe in ties to other humans only the kill. So the assassin was forced to murder the woman. It took many months and a near miss but assassin returned to the place he had buried his friend. Robin selected a paragraph that described the two men that then attempted to kill the assassin at the woman's grave. They were men who had made a deal with death. The men would be allowed to use death's dogs in exchange they would kill a certain number of people or hunt those who had escaped death. They were specialized with poison, hemlock was their favored. Batman scanned the article.

"You'll be charge with going back through all classmates and finding out who wrote this. We will work from there." Robin nodded numbly. He went and sat a computer. First he pulled up the school register then he pulled up pictures to match each name. Next he pulled samples of each person's writing. His eyes were beginning to blur when he came across the picture a girl who would have been a grade below him. Robin paused to study her face. Copper colored hair, evenly tanned skin, and dark brown eyes that seemed almost black. Glancing at her sample of writing revealed it was flowery hand writing that was smooth and constant throughout the composition. Robin conferred with the article. If one just looked at the writing which was smooth but lacked the flowing floweriness that most girls wrote with, logically they would assume they were looking for a guy. But as Robin read the story and discarded this thought. The story was a love story, ending with the friend of the assassin saving him from death's grasp after coming back from the dead herself. No, Robin thought, this was defiantly written by a girl. He saved the copper haired girl in a file with three other girls who had similar hand writing.

He was just finishing going through everyone in the file when there was a whoosh sound as Megan glided into the room. She looked crest fallen.

"What's the matter Miss M?" she rubbed her arm uncomfortably.

"I tried to get the information about the man. I delved into his mind and it was like there was another person there. When I tried to restrain the other mind it just disappeared and the assassin became different. He is no longer the assassin. He was just an ordinary man whose memory ended several days ago." Robin blinked then got up and headed to the holding cell with Megan floating behind him. He looked in the cell and saw a very different man from one he had fought. Even his bone structure was different. Instead off long wild hair, he had the classic short buzz cut most military men preferred and a well trimmed mustache. The man wore a military uniform of a solider from Bialya. Megan sat beside him. "He was going on leave and then his mind is blank. I'm sure he was knocked out, I'm just not sure how or why."

"Is there anything you can tell me about the person who was controlling." Megan nodded.

"I noticed there was damaged in the soldier's mind. So I took a closer look and I found there were two telepathic people in his mind. One tried to wrestle control from the other. I think that was when the man stopped and his shape changed. The one who tried to stop the assault was weak and stopped when he or she realized it was hurting the soldier. They made an attempt to heal him before they were forcibly thrown out of his mind. It actually saved his life. If his friend had hadn't been poisoned he would have suffered permanent brain damage. I also noticed that the person who initially took of the soldiers mind he applied a mental frame work over his mind. That was how the soldier became the assassin. But interestingly the frame was not made by the first telepath it was made by the second. The one who tried to heal the soldier." Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This was starting to sound like a weird TV show where there was a new twist every at every turn.

"What about the other assassin?"

"His body returned to normal when he died. He was also a Bialyain soldier."

"Do you think queen bee?" Megan shuck her head no.

"It doesn't feel like her or Simon." That certainly limited their suspects. Off the top of his head, Robin could name only two people would be capable of this, but he didn't think Megan or Martian Man Hunter had anything to do with it.

"Doesn't mean neither of them had a hand in this." At that moment Batman walked up to them carrying three files. He handed two of them to Robin and Megan. They opened the files and realized the men in either file were their two would be assassins. Both it seemed had a record of violence and both were suspected of knocking off military leaders ahead of them to gain their ranks. Robin glanced at the file still in Batman's hand. "What about that one."

"This is a personal matter that I'll be looking into." Robin's eyebrows raised in surprise, his curiosity growing. What was Batman up to? Batman seemed to know exactly where his former sidekick's thoughts were heading. "I want to check in on something before I say anything." That was understandable, if what Batman had didn't pan out it would just waste more time and yet something in him wanted to know regardless. Batman turned and left. "Make sure the rest of the team sees those." Robin nodded and took his file to the med room. Everyone except Connor and Megan was standing around Artemis and Wally. Robin opened the file when Megan came in followed by Connor.

"This is what we know about our assassins." He handed his file to Kaldur'ahn. Megan handed her file to Rocket who scanned the file Zatanna was reading over her shoulder. Kaldur'ahn skimmed the file then passed it to Artemis. Once everyone was up to speed Megan explained what she found inside the living soldier's mind.

"So, You're saying the second person isn't a willing participant and neither are the actual assassins?" Megan rubbed her arm and recalled the man's mind.

"I'm not entirely sure. It seemed like he or she doesn't want to help or is actively undoing the first person's work. But the second person created frame work for who they would become, however they also seem to need a person whose nature is compatible with the frame work they implant into the mind." Kaldur'ahn glanced back at the file.

"These men certainly were violent and clever enough to become the assassins." Rocket nodded her agreement and rubbed her aching shoulder courtesy of their dead assassin.

"Exactly, but why kidnap them? They seem like they would be willing enough." Robin mused out loud. Zatanna pondered the folder they held in their hand.

"What about their intended victims?" Everyone's eyes turned to her, she didn't shy away from their attention. "Why were those two specially targeted? What do they have in common?" Robin slapped his forehead. Of course, he thought to himself, he should have thought of this sooner.

"Duh." He went to the med room computer and pulled up the screen so the whole team could read it. His fingers flew over keys and brought up everything the UN was currently working on. He scanned all the groups but found nothing. "Huh, they aren't actually working on anything at the moment. Or at least the two targets weren't."

"Do they have anything in common outside of work?" Zatanna asked. Robin's fingers flicked over keys. He pulled up a map that marked where both victims lived.

"They live in different parts of the city, different jobs; she's a lawyer for the UN and he's a translator, different banks, they aren't related any way. The only time they even seem to cross paths is when UN is in session." Even then it was rare for the two to cross paths. Neither of them shared a boss either.

"Phone calls?"

"None to each other, a few from the UN itself but nothing that raises a red flag." Everyone was starting to look frustrated with their lack of leads.

"What about their bank accounts themselves?" Connor asked. Robin pulled opened their accounts, none of his teammates so much as batted an eye at him hacking into secure banking network.

"She has a significant amount saved, but nothing that screams blackmail or suspicious. It seems to have been saved up over a long period of time. He on the other hand seems to have a slight problem with gambling, but only slight." Nothing that someone could use to blackmail him with.

"How do you know?" Robin brought up the man's bank history and beside it he pulled up horse racing schedule. There were large withdrawals on some of these days with only a rare deposit that was significantly higher later that day.

"Not very lucky."

"So what you are saying is there is no obvious answer to why these two were targeted." Robin turned to Kaldur'ahn and shrugged.

"I can't think of anything that explains all of this." Artemis spoke up now.

"What if we are looking for something that isn't there?" Everyone turned to her, she shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. "What if what they have in common is that they have nothing in common at all? And that both are relatively unassuming?"

"Then what would be the point of killing them?" Artemis bit her lip.

"There are only two reasons I can think of. The first that only one person was a genuine victim in the sense that someone wanted that person dead and targeted another person to throw us off. If that's the case we can just post a guard on them until we catch them. Or it was all just a test."

"A test?" Artemis nodded at Rocket "What kind of test?"

"A test to see if they could use the assassins well and or if they were caught would they be able to keep information from someone like Megan or even Martian Man Hunter. Which makes more sense, this is too elaborate for a simple assassination. Besides that, the whole point of assassination is to send a message. This says nothing. They were just important enough to get us involved but not so important that the Justice League was called in. It is the first time we have seen this type of an attack. Naturally we would be a little unprepared, but we learn fast. If what Megan says is true, why did the person stay in the soldiers mind when their man was caught? Why not leave before then?" It was a chilling thought but as Robin pondered it, it made sense.

"That means there is going to be more attacks, but probably not on the two UN workers. We'll post guards, but I don't think they will be attacked again." The group suddenly looked deflated and stressed. Most of them head been up for almost twenty four hours. Kaldur'ahn looked around at his team.

"We will sort this out in the morning. For now everyone should rest, we are going to need it next few days I believe." Everyone sighed or groaned in agreement. Robin slipped out of the room after Kaldur'ahn gave instructions. His feet carried him through the mountain to the Zeta tubes. He was just starting to turn over the possible plans of attack their enemy might use and how to best counter them. He was restless and distracted.


	4. Chapter 4

Once Robin was back in Gotham he began to review the events and what he knew. His thoughts kept straying towards the copper haired girl. This was all connected to her but how? Robin paused in the alley and tried to shove away the thoughts. He trudged down the dark alleyway keeping himself in the shadows like he was taught. What about the voice he heard during his fight? He had known the voice and yet now that he thought about it he couldn't put a name to it. He had blindly trusted a voice. Everything had turned out okay, but it could have been disastrous. Wally could have been killed! Why had he been so trusting of a voice in his head? Well on the other hand he frequently had people talking in his head, thanks to Miss M.

He continued on to Wayne Manor slipping over the fence with practiced ease. Then he stole across the sprawling grounds in utter silence. Once inside he made his way through the maze of hallways to the secret entrance to the Bat cave. Carefully he checked to make sure no one was there before he sat down at the main computer and began his search. He plugged in his flash drive with the information he gathered and picked the copper haired girls file. He put her picture in the database. Instantly it came up with a birth certificate, information about her parents, where she was currently going to high school. He scanned through her written papers and found no correlation between them and the written story. So why was he so sure of the connection? When no answer came he slammed his fist impatiently on the desk.

"If I may?" Robin whirled around and came face to face with Alfred who was standing just behind him. The butler stood there giving Robin his famous knowing gaze that seemed to peer into souls. "I don't believe wailing on the desk is going to get you your answer. But it may hurt your fist. Master Bruce has made an attempt to get things that are hard to break." Robin sighed under the amused gaze of Alfred. His gaze went past Robin to the file that was up on the screen. If Robin didn't know better he would have sworn there was a brief flicker of recognition in the butler's eyes at the sight of the copper haired girl. "Looking for someone, Master Richard?"

"Yes and no." was Robin's slow response. Turning back to the computer Robin brought up the story and copies of written work that the girl, Alexandra, had made. "I think this girl." He said pointing to Alexandra's picture. "Has a connection to the girl who wrote the first story." Alfred stepped closer and scanned the story.

"A love story?" A smile touched the old butler's lips when he finished the tale.

"Yes. Someone took a character from this story and managed to turn another person into that character." Alfred tilted his head thoughtfully and seemed to choose his next words with great care.

"You think the author of this story turned someone into an assassin to use for nefarious purposes?" Something in Robin instantly rebelled at that the thought. He shook his head and the words were out before he had even realized he had spoken.

"She would never!" He would have sworn Alfred was smiling at him, even after he had just snapped at him. "I'm sorry Alfred, I don't know what came over me. Forgive me" The butler bowed with more dignity than a king.

"Already forgotten Master Richard," Alfred turned to walk away only to pause for a moment. "If you were asking me, it is been my experience that like Master Bruce, you are not easily swayed by those things that falsehoods. Trust yourself and your friends even if you are unsure." Then he vanished into the darkness. Robin turned back to the computer where he looked up at Alexandra's photograph after a long moment of staring at the photograph he asked out loud,

"What do you know about this case?" not surprisingly the picture didn't respond. Robin sighed and scrubbed his eyes. Glancing at the clock revealed it was four in the morning. Robin groaned, and then pulled everything he found back into his file. After saving everything to the flash drive he pocketed the drive. He made his way back up to the manor and to his bedroom. Flopping down on the bed; sleep swamped him before he could even pull his boots off.


	5. Chapter 5

This time in his dream he stood in a giant circular room. There were large wooden doors all along every inch of the wall space. Each door had beautiful carvings, paintings, and or emblems and spanned the entire length of each door; roughly nine feet high. The floor was a beautiful stone granite. The ceiling was made of interwoven white branches. Robin's gaze fell on the figure in the center of the room. He smiled at the girl from his previous dream.

"You look like your day was as tiring as mine." The girl was sitting on a small but thick navy blue shag rug. Her back was propped up against a small crystal obelisk the same one from his previous dream. She was also dressed the same way he had seen her in the last dream. Like then he still couldn't see any of her features.

"Where are we?" The girl glanced around at some of the doors then stood up using the obelisk support her weight. Her legs wobbled before she locked her knees back and she stood up straight.

"We are in my mind, well, the sub conscious part of it anyway." She leaned against the crystal for support.

"So what are all the doors for?" Robin noted there was close to fifty doors, each with its own unique decorations on it. Detailed cravings were etched around the edges of each door. All of them told a different story.

"They are me, and yet not." Robin raised his eyebrows at her.

"You know that doesn't answer my question." She smiled, he couldn't see it, but he knew it was there. Somehow.

"Yes it does, maybe not the answer you wanted, but maybe I can explain it better." There was teasing laughter in her voice. Robin couldn't help but gravitate a few steps closer towards her even despite her poking fun of him. "Just like you are Robin, Richard Greyson, and Dick Danger. These," she said gesturing at all the doors. "Are all me at their core. Yet each is a different person."

"Do you become different if you become them?"

"Again yes and no." Before Robin could even open his mouth she said, "Hold on, let me collect my thoughts and figure out how to properly describe them." She thought for only a few moments before starting again. "My outer shell or my body does change from each one, though it may still bare a resembles to me. As for my mind it would almost be like having another mind surrounding my mind. I am controlled by that person's fears, desires, and other strong character traits. I can then use in gifts, abilities, or talents each individual has. All the while I am still aware of me as I am without being inside one of them."

"What about weaknesses?" The girl nodded solemnly.

"With each person I become I also take on their weaknesses. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not."

"What happens if you die as one of these-." Robin stopped when he noticed the door directly behind the girl. The door itself was gone, the doorframe was scorched like a fire had raged there once. The door hinges resembled blackened teeth. He walked over to the door and nearly threw up when he looked past the door. It looked like a giant wall of scarred and burnt flesh. Something in him urged him to touch the door. Something that came from the memories he couldn't remember. Sorrow and grief were a weight in his chest as he reached forward and touched the doorframe.

Pain exploded through his body. A burning sensation rippled over his skin. Robin tried to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. A young girl's voice screamed,

"No! Stop it!" Greif and sorrow were in every syllable. He wanted nothing more than to comfort the woman. Robin's breath hitched as the pain stopped. He could hear the girl sobbing. "Please, I'll give you anything, just no more." Robin wanted to scream, No, don't do it, but the words were caught in his throat. A hand spread coolness into his burned flesh and Robin realized he was back in the circular room. The girl had pulled him away from the door. Robin coughed when he let out the pent up breath he had been holding. His throated felt parched and dry.

"What was that?" He coughed when he was able to.

"That was a memory. You are in my mind. You asked what would happen if I died as one of these characters. Well, I would survive and so would all the others, but I would feel everything. You were able to feel it because you made contact with the memory and then you shared it." Robin heaved a deep breath and asked,

"Who are you?"

"I am your-."

"Friend! Yes, I know that! Who are you, what are you called, are you even real?" The girl drew back as if he had physically slapped her. She tried stood up straighter even though her body was trembling with effort to stand. She answered his last question first.

"I am real. Even dreams are real; the question would be better phrased, 'Am I alive?' But I am not sure as to the answer of that." The thought made Robin's heart almost stop. More than anything he wanted to comfort her, but had no idea how to do so. Her legs wobbled and finally gave out from underneath her. Robin managed to catch and helped guide her back to her rug. Where she sank gratefully down.

"What do you mean you don't know if you're alive?" The girl sighed

"That is something that would take too long to explain properly at the moment." There was weariness in her voice that made him ache.

"What should I call you? Or will you tell me your name." she laughed breathlessly,

"How about the name you gave me, Bard." Robin blinked as if a spell had suddenly been broken. His heart soared, because he knew that name meant something to him, but he still couldn't identify a face or any memories to connect with the name. He knew this was something that he shouldn't and wouldn't have forgotten on his own.

"How do I know you?" Again he couldn't see her smile, but he knew it was there.

"That is something you will have to work out on your own." Robin rolled his eyes.

"That's absurd, why not just tell me?"

"Because, it's the only way to be sure that you are ready for the answers. If I just hand them to you now they could very easily do more harm than good. I made that mistake once, but not again." Robin ran a hand through his hair. More clues, more questions, yet no real answers.

"So I have to work it for myself who you are?" Bard nodded slowly as if not quite sure where this question was going. "What are you to me?" Bard cocked her head to the side.

"How should I know what my standing in your life is?" There was amusement in her voice, a teasing that spoke of familiarity and something else. No matter how hard Robin tried the door to those memories seemed firmly closed.

"Why are you so difficult?" Robin muttered exasperated with getting the run around, but enjoying the easy banter. Bard chuckled weakly leaning back against the crystal.

"Because it's fun and a good distraction. But enough about me, tell me about you. How are your friends doing?" Robin felt the temptation to push for more information, but discarded that idea. She would simply give him the run around or leave; neither of which he wanted.

"My friends are fine. Artemis has a fractured nose, but she will be alright. Wally actually got poisoned-." He stopped mid-sentence. Could it really be so simple? "Someone with a telepathic link to me healed him. That wasn't you, wasn't it?"

"What do you think I can do from here?" she countered gesturing to the room around them. Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Heck she couldn't even remain standing, maybe she wasn't the one.

"I'm not sure." Robin was pondered this when a slight buzzing noise started steadily growing louder as the room became fuzzier.

"Good bye." Was the last thing he heard before he opened his eyes back in his room.


	6. Chapter 6

The alarm by his bed was blaring at him, and slapped the off button. His body felt like lead. Robin struggled up to a sitting position and felt completely drained. After struggling out of bed and into clean clothes he made his way to school. The day seemed to drag its feet. All he could think of was his dream and the girl named Bard. Finally the bell rang and Robin made his way to the hideout via boom tube.

He sat at a desk and plugged in the flash drive with his three files on it. Pulling up Alexandra's file he scanned it again. It was just her and her parents and yet he was sure she was somehow connected to all of this. He wasn't sure how long he was staring at the file when Wally came into the room, a half eaten sandwich in his hands.

"Hey, Rob." He said through a mouthful of food then paused and looked at the picture on the screen. "Why you looking at Alex?" Robin whirled around and stared at Wally. The shock of hearing him say he knew Alexandra momentarily stunned him. Momentarily.

"You know her?" Wally looked confused.

"Not as well as you do." Now was Robin's turn to be confused. He didn't know her, did he?

"No, I don't." Wally narrowed his eyes at Robin.

"Rob, I met her at your house. Her and her older sister." Robin blinked. Was Wally pulling his leg. The look on his friend's face told him no, he wasn't.

"She doesn't have an older sister." Robin whirled back to the computer his fingers flying over the keyboard. He pulled up the family records. Nothing there suggested there was another child.

"KF, There is no record of a second child. No birth certificate, no medical bills, nothing." Wally shrugged and took another big bite of his sandwich.

"All I know is, she has an older sister." He paused to swallow his mouthful of food "I actually thought there was something between you and the older sister." That made Robin glance back at his friend. Kid Flash was looking at him curiously.

"I don't remember her at all," He rubbed the back of his head. "I think I need to pay Alexandra a visit." Wally watched his friend with great concern.

"Want me to come with?" Robin considered him for a moment then nodded; probably better that he take back up just in case.

"That may be a good idea, but let's go civilian." Both Robin and Kid Flash hung up their capes and suits for jeans, t-shirts, and jackets. They met at the zeta tubes right after changing.

"You have the address?" Robin nodded and pulled the GPS on his watch pointing to a house in an average neighborhood. They traveled back to Gotham and made their way to the location on the map. The house was a plain two story building. It was in good condition and obviously well cared for. The grass was cut and the flowers were well tended to. They walked up to the small front porch and rang the doorbell. Footsteps echoed from inside the house and the door opened. A woman stood there. She was tall, and had thick coppery hair streaked with some gray tied back in a lose braid. She wore a simple light purple cotton shirt and faded blue jeans.

"Yes, can I help you boys?" There was no flash of recognition in her eyes like Robin expected, but she also didn't seem nervous like she was hiding something.

"Yes, we are friends of Alex's. Is she around?" The woman smiled and nodded stepping back to let them enter. When they entered they saw the house was decorated tastefully in neutral colors and nice wood furniture. Pictures hung on the on the walls going upstairs and on the fire place mantel. In them they saw only Alexandra, and her parents. Robin noted several spots that at one point had pictures, but they since had been removed. Alexandra's mother led them into a cozy kitchen area that had back door lead out to fenced in yard area.

"She's in her studio." The woman indicated the large shed at the back of the well-kept garden. Both boys nodded their thanks and followed the flagstone path that wound up to the make shift studio. Robin knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Wally just shrugged and motioned for him to go on. When they open the door there was a strong smell of paint wafted outward at them. Both heroes stared opened mouth at the all the art that filled the small space. Floor to ceiling the room was covered with different art pieces. Each piece was more beautiful than the last. There were lots of exotic landscapes painted in both water color and acrylic paints. Then they noticed the sketch books strewn across the floor, all of them filled with detailed drawings of women in brilliant costumes, doing daring deeds, or using some kind of power. Then they noticed the floor. It was cement and covered with a giant mural done in chalk of two young girls. This one had been carefully sealed so it would remain a permanent work of art. Robin studied the two girl's; one was clearly Alexandra, the other could only be her sister.

Robin and Kid Flash's gaze traveled to the back of the studio. There was a shelf of note books, journals, and binders that spanned the entire width of the room. Under the shelf was a desk and an easel with a stool in front of it, a half finished painting sitting on it. It depicted Robin and Wally staring open mouthed in the very room they now stood in. Unease slithered through Robin as he caught glimpses of some darker art work.

But no Alexandra.

A sudden snarl of rage had both boys eyes flash up at the ceiling as a wild haired woman dropped down from the rafters. She pinned Robin to the floor and her hands wrapped around his throat and squeezed with enough force to snap his neck. Kid Flash dragged her off Robin who got to his feet gasping and coughing. The girl who attacked him bore a striking resemblance to Alexandra, but her hair was the color of a Raven's wings and her eyes glowed purple. Robin noted she looked exactly like a painting hanging near the easel. Though around the woman in the painting was also lightning, water, air, fire, and earth. The girl didn't struggle in Wally's grasp only stood there glaring at him with such venomous rage.

Robin remembered what Bard had said about being able to change her body with the different people she became. Briefly he wondered if Alexandra could be Bard. After a moment he discarded that thought. Bard had showed him nothing but kindness, where Alexandra seemed to being making an actual effort to kill him.

"Alexandra," Robin held up his hands to show her he was unarmed and meant her no harm. "I want to talk to you about your sister."

"Don't!" she snapped at him. "You don't deserve to speak of her! You left her! She died because of you! You have no right to speak of her to me or to anyone!" Lightning crackled dangerously around her and Wally, but Alexandra's eyes were fixed solely on Robin. Electricity danced ever closer to Robin without harming Wally or Alexandra.

"What do you mean?" His heart did an odd flip. Her anger seemed to jump up another notch, insanity flickered in her cold gaze and she shrieked,

"I saw it! You left her there! Like a piece of garbage!" with each accusation Robin felt his heart sink and shatter. "You let them take her from us! She cared for you! She loved you!" Alexandra's whole body shook with sobs as she spat the words at him. She sank to her knees and copper gold washed through raven colored hair; the color turning back to her normal. "She died for you, and you, you have the nerve to come here? After all this time?" Her whole body shuck as she sobbed the last few words. "You let them make you forget her." Wally glanced between Alexandra and Robin who was wiping tears from his face.

"What do you mean they made him forget her?" asked Wally dragging Alexandra up to her feet. Her face was red and blotchy from her tears.

"Everyone forgot my sister. Even him!" she snarled at Wally. "I know she existed, but everyone else doesn't remember or doesn't want to. Like him." Alexandra turned and aimed a vicious kick to Robin's ribs sending him doubling over in pain. Wally picked her up with one arm and dragged her away from Robin making sure to keep his body between Robin and Alexandra. She was crying and looking down at the painting of her and her sister.

"You okay Rob?" Robin coughed and waved him off. He walked up to Alexandra and knelt down in front of her so he could keep eye contact with her.

"Who made me forget?" Robin demanded. Alexandra sniffed and wailed,

"The ones who killed her!" she began rocking herself back and forth. Robin rose up and hugged her tightly. Something was not right here. Looking around at all the artwork, he realized Alexandra was a steady natured person who wouldn't have attacked him like she had. The fact that she was actively avoiding hurting Wally was proof of that.

"We will find them. I swear." All Alexandra did was rock back and forth her whole body shuddering from sobs she was trying to hold in. "But we need your help, will you help us?" Wally glanced between the two of them. And mouth,

_Miss M? _Robin nodded over the girl's head. Wally stepped out of the room and called for Miss Martian and the bioship. Robin moved Alexandra to the stool beside her easel.


	7. Chapter 7

"Tell me about your sister." Alexandra choked a sob.

"She was a writer." She nodded back to the notebooks on the shelf. There could have been hundreds of them. "When we were little is when we realized we could become the things we created." Robin blinked in surprise

"Both of you are gifted?" Alex nodded wordlessly.

"She became characters in her story. I became people and things I drew or painted. We kept what we could do a secret from everyone. Even our parents. Then we were out one night and she felt something." Her eyes rose and fixed on Robin. "You. You were upset and she tuned into your pain and she couldn't leave you even though I begged her not to go to you. We had n idea who you were, but she went." She nodded at a painting that was half concealed behind the door. Robin went to and picked it up. He gasped and nearly dropped it. The painting showed a slightly younger him staring out his window at the Wayne Manor. An angel was hovering just outside his window with a hand extended to him. He heard a distant voice and everything seemed to fall away.

"Why are you so sad?" He was shocked to see a young girl not a day older than him flying outside his window. Her hair was a coppery gold and was braided down to her waist. She was garbed in dark black sweat pants that were too long for her, and a dark green shirt and clung to her skin. But his jaw almost dropped when he looked past her shoulders at how she was standing in open air two stories up. She had gorgeous feathered wings that were silver and each feather was tipped in a light red. Those wings beat a steady rhythm holding her up. Robin felt the strange urge to reach out and touch one of those beautiful feathers just to assure himself that they were real.

"I'm not sad!" he denied, she smiled gently almost knowingly at him.

"I understand lying to a stranger, but never yourself. That will only hurt you more." The angel hovered at his window sill then slowly sat down and folded her wings against her back. "Tell me." And he did. He felt compelled to tell her the truth and she sat there listening to it all. The death of his family, his adoption, and now what he wanted to do as Batman's apprentice. She didn't recoil from, and it she didn't fawn over him, she simply listened. Then she held out her hand to him, "Would you like to fly?" Robin glanced at her wings. Sure she could fly, but he doubted she could carry him.

"But I can't fly and I don't want to drag you down?" she looked at him curiously tilting her head to one side before asking,

"Who says you can't fly?" Robin blinked in surprise at her strange question.

"Everyone." She tilted her head to the other side; a slight smile pulling at her lips.

"Really? Everyone tells you, you can't fly?" Robin opened his mouth to reply then shut it. She had point.

"Well, that's not what I meant." Her eyebrows rose at him; she didn't even try to hide her laughter.

"Then say what you mean." Robin sighed

"I'm human, just plain human. Humans can't fly." She seemed to think this over then replied,

"Well, I think that's rubbish. I say you can fly. Will you come fly with me?" she held out her hand and waited for his response. He stared at her open hand for a moment then he placed his hand in hers. She pulled him out the window in one swift movement. For one panicked moment he was falling but before he could even open his mouth to yelp, he stopped midair. Brown wings sprouted out his back and with them came the knowledge of how to use them. Just like that.

The girl tugged his hand and shouted, "Come on!". Suddenly the two of them were racing over the Wayne Manor, both yelling their joy at the wind. Another angel appeared. Her wings were a snowy white with black speckles dusted over her wings. Robin recognized Alexandra. Then as suddenly as the memory had appeared, it faded, and he stood in the studio with just Alexandra. Wally was just opening the door to let Miss Martian.

"Robin. What's going on?" Robin turned back to Alexandra who seemed to have receded back into herself. She was gently rocking back and forth her eyes glazed over like she wasn't really seeing anything around her.

"Alexandra, can you tell Miss Martian everything you told me and Kid Flash? We can help find your sister that way." The light came back into the girl's eyes as she looked towards Miss Martian. She slowly got up and walked towards Miss Martian. Then she glanced back at the room.

"You'll want those." She pointed at the notebooks. Robin glanced at them and pulled off the first one. It was a small leather bound journal. He flipped it open and found a story written in the same penmanship as the anonymous story.

"KF. Help me carry these to the bioship." Together and five trips each, Robin and Kid Flash managed to load all the stories into the bioship. Then Megan steered the bioship back to base. Alexandra sat quietly and completely unsurprised by Megan or the bioship. The girl's down cast mood seemed to be affecting Megan when she reached for Robin and Wally they could feel the sorrow like a giant weight on Megan's mind.

_Why is she in so much pain?_

_She lost her sister and apparently witnessed her murder, _was Robins answer. _We need to see what information you can get from her mind. She's too distraught to tell us and I'm pretty sure the experience hurt her mind._

_You said it was connected to the case. _Wally nodded

_Her sister we think is the second telepath you felt in the minds._

_I thought you said she saw her sister's murder?_ Both Robin and Wally nodded.

_That's where we are confused. We want you to reexamine her memories and figure out what happened. Also I want you to look at my memories. _They both felt Megan's confusion over Robin's request.

_Why?_

_She claims I was there. That her sister died for me, but I don't remember her sister much less watching her be murdered. Yet somehow I can't shake the feeling that she is right. _Megan's gasp was in their minds and she glanced back at Alexandra sympathetically.

"I'd appreciate it if you guys didn't have a conversation about me mentally." Megan blushed deeply and stammered.

"I'm sorry! You're a telepath! I never met someone from Earth who could-." Megan stopped when she realized the other girl was staring off into space tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." Megan whispered turning back to the front.

"Don't be sorry for what isn't your fault and cannot be changed." The rest of the trip was done in silence.


	8. Chapter 8

When they were nearing the mountain, Batman's voice came on the speaker,

"Bioship, report." Robin responded first.

"We may have a lead to the on the assassin case. We have a guest with us." No further response came. The bioship landed in hanger and the passengers disembarked. Batman stood there waiting with Black Canary, their gaze assessing Alexandra as she descended from the ship. The young girl stood up straighter meet Black Canary's gaze with mild curiosity and Batman's with almost the same hostility as she had met Robin. Only this time she seemed to have the presence of mind to not lash out. She stuck out her chin and said,

"You remember me." It was a statement and she was daring him to lie. Batman, Robin knew would not be baited nor would he apologize if he did something he believed was right.

"Yes." Alexandra sniffed disdainfully.

"Her life for his." She nodded back at Robin. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take his life for payment." Black Canary stepped toward Alexandra but she paid no mind to her. Alexandra's gaze never left Batman's, and the tension ramped up.

"She might not be dead." The words didn't seem to sink into her mind. She blinked and stared at him blankly.

"What?" Her voice was a thin thread of sound that shook.

"Your sister may still be alive." Alexandra blinked back tears and shook her head. Her whole body started to tremble like a leaf in the wind.

"No! I saw it! I can't do this again." She held her head like it was hurting her.

"Stop!" snapped Megan coming up behind Alexandra. "Can't you see she's hurt?" She pulled the younger girl closer to her to shield her from everyone and put an arm around her to comfort her. "Let me look in her mind and see what I can do, and then when that's done if she is up to it, then you can talk to her." Robin felt the urge to say go Miss M. He had never seen her stand up to anyone like that let alone Batman. Glancing at Wally and Black Canary revealed they were just as surprised by the young Martian's sudden steel. Batman continued to stare at the two girls, but nodded and stepped aside to let Megan lead Alexandra away. Alexandra was still staring blankly at Batman, but not seeing him. Black Canary looked to Batman before following the two girls out of the hanger. When it was just Batman and Robin, he asked

"Is what she said true? Did her sister die for me?" Batman pulled out the folder he had withheld earlier. Robin took the file in shaking hands.

"A couple years ago, a young girl came to me and told me that she and her sister had glanced at possible futures. In several the whole world ended, in few you died, in the last which she said was the slightest possible chance of happening she was able to save you and by extension save the world. She made me swear to keep this from you and told me that if you didn't put the pieces together yourself there could be permanent damage done to you and the world would be doomed. The last thing she asked me was to erase her existence on paper and computer. The rest would be taken care of." Robin flipped open her file. It was filled with pictures, her birth certificate, social security card, her report cards, graduation certificate from middle school. Jessie, was her name. Robin stared at the information but no memories revealed themselves. The door in his mind remained firmly closed.

The last thing in the file was a few written papers and a painting. The painting looked like a page from a comic book. It had seven frames, each containing a different picture. He saw a girl with silvery blond hair kneeling over what looked like a charred body. She had shackles with a broken chain clamped on her wrists. The next picture was a close up on her hands which were laid across the chest of the body. Blood flowed from blisters caused by the metal restraints biting into skin. A purple light streaming from her palms. The third frame showed the damage on the body moving up the girl's hands. The fourth square held a picture of the girl completely burned and Robin's body lying motionless under her charred hands. The next frame showed a black rift and the girl pulling a ghost from it. Then in the sixth frame showed the girl collapsed on top of Robin and his eyes open. Finally the last frame showed the girl's blackened body being zipped up in a body bag.

Robin's hands shook and he almost dropped the file. He had to fight t keep himself from vomiting. The door in Bard's mind, she had died for him. She had been helping him along. Then he remembered her words, how she was uncertain if she was even still alive. No, he wanted to scream and rail against this. Greif was a physical pain that threatened to consume him.

"So she is dead?"

"Part of her died. We believe the people who took her body were able to return her to her core self." Robin looked up at his mentor and asked,

"You knew all of this all along and you never said?" Batman nodded

"She made it clear that your life and the world's safety depended on my silence."

"What about her life!" Robin exploded. "Was she somehow less important than me?" He turned from Batman and punched the hanger wall. Pain lanced through his fingers but didn't care. He had been fool and someone he clearly cared for had suffered he had been completely oblivious.

"She explained it like this, She needed to be in the camp of the enemy to prevent something terrible from happening in the future. If you weren't alive then certain things wouldn't happen that needed to. She is the reason you were originally selected to lead this team. Her and her sister both have prophetic personalities and they foretold you leading a team of young hero's that would save Earth."

"When were you sure she was still alive?"

"After I looked over the tapes from the second attack."Robin blinked and opened his mouth then shut it again. He turned back to Batman.

"What do you mean after the second attack?" Batman waved for Robin to follow him as he turned and walked off toward the briefing room, Robin followed. Black Canary had come back and was waiting for them as they walked into the big room. The three of them stood round the main computer monitor as Batman brought up the footage. Fast forwarding, Batman played the video when the assassin had appeared. Together they watched the fight. Robin watched carefully but even when the assassin was caught Robin couldn't see what Batman's proof.

"Did you see it?" Both Robin and Black Canary shuck their heads no. Batman paused it then rewound the footage and paused it as the wolf was attacking Robin. Then he pointed at Robin's face. On closer inspection revealed that it wasn't Robin under the wolf. A dark brown haired man was wrestling the jaws away. Scars covered the man's face and hands. Robin blinked,

"How is that possible? I remember fighting off the wolf that was on me."

"I'm not sure, but either she gave you strength or you tapped into her abilities. Either way it proves she is still alive." There was a sudden ringing in his ears as Megan connected to his mind.

_Robin, I'm going to begin. I think you should be here too_

_I'll be there in a minute Miss M. _He felt Megan leave his mind. He turned to Batman.

"I have to go." He didn't wait for an answer, just quickly walked out of the room. He couldn't help but feel betrayed by Batman, and resent him. Robin could feel Batman and Black Canary's stare boring into his back until he was out of sight.


	9. Chapter 9

Robin made his way to the medic bay when Superboy came around the corner.

"Have you seen Megan?" Robin nodded

"Yea, she's in the medic bay with Alexandra."

"Who's Alex-?" they rounded the corner into the medic bay and the two girls sat on the floor. Both girls sat with their legs crossed and hands held as if they were in a prayer circle.

"Take a deep breath and imagine a door into your mind-." Megan suddenly became aware they weren't alone. "Oh, Alexandra, do you mind if Connor sits in with us." The other girl shrugged her indifference. Connor hovered behind Megan and Robin came to sit beside both girls. Megan opened the link to Robin and Connor. Suddenly a door was hanging in the middle of the space in Megan's mind. "Good, now open it." The door slowly opened and Alexandra stood there. She stepped into the center of the room and the walls became a giant movie screen. All over the walls were fragments of memory. Robin remembered the time in the Bialyain Desert when their memories had been erased. But this was somehow different. Instead of sharp shattered pieces that resembled glass, these pieces had faded or smudged edges that were perfectly circular in the center. All of the memories were of varying sizes.

"Whoever tried to erase your memories, didn't try to completely take them away. All the memories are still there, but a wall was built up around them and you managed to wear away at the wall in places." Alexandra looked at the fragments and asked,

"So what?" Megan gestured to all the memories.

"Whoever took them away from you, didn't harm you doing so and they easily could have. But they also left them for you to find. There are special triggers that release the memories. But you've hurt yourself trying to break down the walls."

"Is there a way to fix the damage?" Robin asked. Megan shrugged,

"I'm not sure, I suppose it's possible, but I've never tried to heal another person's mind. Not like this." Connor put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can do this. You restored my mind, you can do the same for her." Megan blinked and then looked absolutely thrilled. Then she smacked the side of her head.

"Hello Megan! That's it, I can restore the barriers. By resetting them I can see what triggers them, and then trigger each memory."

"Won't that erase all the memories so far?" asked Robin

"Nope, it will block all the memories of her sister and you but everything that has happened today she will remember."

"Do it." Everyone turned to look at Alexandra. Her shoulders were back and her chin was held high in determination. "I want my memories back." Megan nodded

"I'll get started then." Robin and Connor watched as Megan very carefully began rebuilding the walls around Alexandra's memories. As the process worked Alexandra's eyes became softer and the edginess faded away. Sweat dotted Megan's brow as time slowly slipped by. The memories slowly disappeared until none of her sister remained. When that was done Megan slumped back. Connor rushed to catch her. Megan caught herself on his shoulder. "Wow. I have a deep respect for whoever did this. It must have taken all of their power to do that without harming Alexandra's mind."

"Can you trigger the memories?" Robin asked, Connor glared at him.

"I don't think-."

"It's alright Connor. She's lived like this for years. She doesn't need to spend any more time like this."

"Megan, you're tired." Megan shuck her head.

"It doesn't matter. She has been driving herself mad with regret and worry. The state of her mind only made it progressively worse. I won't let her stay like this another minute." Megan stood up straight and stepped away from Connor. She placed both hands on Alexandra's temples. Energy charged the air and Robin felt something uncurl inside of him. Someone else was looking through his eyes. Mist started to gather protectively around Alexandra. Energy rippled through the air.

"Megan! Get away!" the warning came a moment too late. The mist solidified and lashed out at Megan sending her rolling backwards into Connor. Connor caught Megan and was going to attack the mist when Robin stepped between them. He held his hands up to the mist as a gesture of supplication and just barely managed to hold back Connor.

"Jessie." The mist swirled agitated. "I know you can hear me!" The mist jerked and took the form of a ferret like creature. It settled around Alexandra's shoulders and hissed,

"You speak of my host. I am not her." The voice was distant and warped like it was coming through a long tube.

"But she can hear me through you. Can't she?" The ferret hesitated then nodded. "Tell her she is hurting her sister." The ferret hissed.

"How dare you!" The mist thickened and reached aggressively out towards them like claws raking the air.

"Shut up!" Robin roared at the ferret. "Look at her!" The ferret did as it was told and looked at Alexandra. She had a very serene look on her face. "She was going mad because you blocked her memories." It was a guess, but like Megan said, it had to be someone who didn't want to harm Alexandra. The only person with that much power who wouldn't want to hurt her could only be her older sister."She was tearing herself apart with guilt. Give her memories back. Surely you don't want to hurt her." The ferret wavered for a brief moment. A different voice answered Robin; Bard's voice.

"I did not mean for this to happen." The ferret's paw passed through Alexandra's head and a look of clarity crossed her face. Like a person who just remembered something very important. The mist dissolved and faded into nothingness and leaving no evidence of the speaker.

"Wait!" Robin reached out to the mist.

"She is gone." Alexandra spoke with strength and clarity of mind that they had not seen. "I'm sorry about the way I acted." A slight smile played around the young girl's lips. Robin eyed her suspiciously.

"You aren't actually sorry are you?" The smile became more pronounced and she inclined her head ever so slightly.

"Maybe, maybe not." Alexandra turned the look around at Megan's mind. "But there is something I think you should see." Alexandra laid a hand on the wall and an image jumped to it. Alexandra and Jessie stood there talking.

"You would take his memory of you away?" Alexandra demanded, Jessie simply nodded.

"Of course. If he remembers he will search for me and anger and grief will blind him and then he will be hurt and possibly become warped from the boy I love."

"So you will not only die for him, but erase everything you are to him?" Again Jessie nodded. Anyone who wasn't watching carefully would have thought Jessie didn't care. But Robin noticed she swallowed hard, like she was swallowing the emotions that were threatening to burst out. Alexandra grit her teeth and swiped tears from her eyes. "And what about me? Will you abandon me too?" Jessie was unable to keep the emotions at bay with that accusation. She turned to her sister and embraced her.

"Alex, I'm do this to protect everyone I love. I'm do this not only for him, but for you as well." Alexandra sniffed and swiped the tears from her eyes.

"So you'll die a hero like your stories, is that it?" Jessie laughed out loud the tears that were about to spill out seemed to settle..

"Regardless of what you or Richard think, I am not that selfless." Jessie put a hand under her sister's chin and raised it so she was looking squarely into her eyes. "We will see each other again. I swear on my powers and my very soul. This will not be permanent." The memory faded and the small group was left staring at Robin.


	10. Chapter 10

"My sister knew what she was doing, and she intends to see us again." Robin wiped tears from his eyes that he hadn't noticed had snuck out. "I am sorry for the way I treated you earlier and the things I said. They weren't true, they were me upset and grieving." Robin smiled and put an arm around her.

"You're alright. You should join our team." Alexandra considered this then looked to Megan and Connor. Neither of them seemed to object to the idea.

"Let me think about it." She then turned and walked through the door she had come through into Megan's. Both her and the door vanished as everyone returned to their own minds. When Robin glanced at Alexandra he found she looked thoughtful.

"Where are my sister's notebooks?" Connor and Megan exchanged looks that told them the other two were communicating mentally..

"I believe they were brought to library." Alexandra gestured for him to lead the way. Megan and Connor said their good byes then turned to walk back to the hanger together. Alexandra raised her eyebrows at them as they left.

"Secret couple?" Robin chuckled as his friends disappeared around the corner.

"Not so secret anymore."

"She wanted to keep things secret?" Robin thought about it then shrugged.

"I don't know, but I don't think so. I think they just never really established what they were other than they like each other. And no one else ever bothered to ask them, we all kind of just accepted it and let it be." Alexandra continued to glance the way the young couple had gone. A curious look passed over her face before she followed Robin.

"Huh." Robin weaved his way through the many twists and turns of the mountain before he finally turned into the library. A vast room filled with book shelves, tables, and chairs. If Robin remembered correctly, this library housed more literature than any other library in the world. Alexandra looked around clearly impressed by what she saw."My sister would live here if you let her." Robin could imagine with the amount of notebooks Jessie had it wouldn't surprise him if she read even more than she wrote.

On one of the tables were stacks of notebooks, journals, and binders. Alexandra sat down at the table and pulled a small stack towards her. She selected the first notebook on the top of the stack.

"Megan told me about how someone is using Jessie's characters to attack prominent people." Robin rubbed the back of his head. That wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't sure what information Batman would be okay with him sharing.

"Yeah." Alexandra gestured for him to sit down beside her. He did as he was bid, wondering what Alexandra was up to.

"Well, I can compile a list of other possible characters they could use. What each character is capable of and their weakness, so that way you guys don't run in blind again and hopefully you'll come out on top."

"So you've read all her stories?" Alexandra snorted very ineloquently.

"Nope, I know the general gist of a few of the stories and I can tell you what doesn't have usable "Bad Guy" characters. Otherwise I know about as much as you do at the moment." Robin blinked blankly.

"What do you mean at the moment?" Alexandra looked up from the bright colored note book she was scanning through.

"I was under the impression she asked you to read some of her work." Alexandra sorted through a number of binders and pulled out a particularly thin one and flipped it open. Inside was several typed pages covered in red markings and notes. Brightly colored sticky notes also decorated the margins of pages with notes. But none of the hand written stuff was Jessie's or Alexandra's handwriting; it was his. "You did some of her editing for her." Alexandra pulled out four other binders each varying in the number of pages from twenty to a hundred fifty. Robin flipped through some of the pages and sat back in his chair; staring at his hand writing on the pages his minded traveled to another place and time.

"You know, for a writer you are a terrible speller and not much better with grammar." Robin had been correcting the story for over an hour. She was laying on the floor next him balancing a throwing knife on the tip of her finger. Jessie, it seemed was not paying attention to a word he was saying. He knew that wasn't true, she had been staring at his back for most of the last hour while he worked.

"You say something?" she asked after switching the knife to a different finger. Her eyes were filled with laughter as he glared at her. He was nice enough to read this over, the least she could do was pay attention when he was speaking.

"Even with spell check you managed to misspell over a dozen words. Not mention you used threw instead through. How does someone who writes so much make such trivial mistakes so often?" She flicked the knife up and caught before rolling over on her side to look him square in the eyes, amusement still gleaming in her eyes. Sometimes he just wanted to shake her, never mind that it would result in a bruised ego and a broken wrist on his part. Other times he wished he could just pause the moments so that he could to extend them into forever. He wasn't sure which this one was.

"There are many reasons it happens. First, I think faster than I type. Second, I am a terrible speller. Mostly, what I find important is the story as a whole. While you're so wrapped up in minute details you missed the bigger picture. Can you tell me from what you read so far if the story itself is a good one or not?" Robin opened his mouth with a retorted, but it died on his lips. She was right. He actually wasn't even sure about what had happened through most of what he had read.

"Robin?" Robin blinked to see Alexandra waving a hand in front of his eyes. "Where did you go?" She looked a little concerned at his odd behavior; not that he blamed her.

"A memory." Alexandra looked confused. "I unlocked a memory." She then smiled.

"My sister was always very poetic in the way she did certain things. Your writing in her story was a trigger?" Robin nodded and pointed to a red mark on the page that circled the word threw. Alexandra looked at it and laughed so hard it looked like it hurt.

"Yes, she made lots easy mistakes like that. She told me it frustrated you a lot. I think she put a couple in on purpose just to rile you up." Robin snorted at the thought. From his resent dealings with Jessie in his dreams and memories, it would not surprise him if she had done just that. Soft footsteps echoed behind them and they both turned. Kaldur'ahn was striding up to them. "Hey! Kaldur'ahn! What brings you here." The older boy inclined his head politely as a greeting. "I heard you were working on compiling a list of potential opponents, and I came to see how that was coming." Kaldur'ahn's gaze fell on Alexandra and he made a an elegant bow. "It is nice to meet you Alexandra." She blinked as if she had been momentarily dazzled.

"Alex." She replied.

"Alex then, is there anything I can do to help?" She looked like she might refuse but then thought better of it.

"Actually, if you have paint supplies and thick paper I can make up a profile of each person." Kaldur'ahn looked thoughtful. Robin was already thinking of potential places supplies could be when Kaldur'ahn answered

"We might have something." He turned on his heel and left the room. Alexandra then turned to Robin and asked,

"Is he single?" Robin gaped at her for a moment, not entirely sure if he heard her right.

"Um, I don't-. I think so." Alexandra made a pouting face and turned to stare at the way Kaldur'ahn had gone, before sighing regretfully.

"Damn."


	11. Chapter 11

Alexandra turned back the story she had been reading. Grabbing another much smaller red spiral bound notebook she began making notes. She dug around through the pile until she found another spiral notebook that was dark blue, and tossed it to Robin.

"Make note of any possible characters, any details about them, also note pages, and notebooks they show up in." Robin nodded his understanding and began leafing through the story she had placed in front of him. He noted any characters that were possibilities in an empty notepad Alexandra had found in the pile. As they worked Robin couldn't help but make marks to correct any errors he saw. After a he had completed two stories he glanced at his watch and at the still massive stack of notebooks. Crestfallen, he realized it would take him days to work through all of this with just Alex for help. Then a thought occurred to him; Alex and him weren't the only ones on this team. He shot a message to everyone's communicators directing them all to meet in the library. Then he smiled to himself as he skimmed through the story about a phoenix.

Wally and Artemis walked in together. Artemis's assessing gaze traveled up and down Alexandra who glanced at Artemis completely unperturbed but not friendly either.

"What?" Alexandra asked not quite rudely, but a reminder that she knew what Artemis was doing and she didn't appreciate it.

"You're the one who is helping stop the assassin?" Alexandra snorted. She probably didn't care to much about the assassins; Robin thought, and her answer confirmed that.

"No, I'm here to find my sister, ensure you guys save her, and don't end up dead along the way." Artemis glanced behind Alexandra at Robin with raised eyebrows. Robin felt the smile tugging at his lips.

"I'll explain when the rest of the group gets here." Alexandra whirled on him and he showed her his watch, which flashed showing that messages had been sent out to the rest of the team. Slowly the rest of the team came in to the library in groups. Megan and Superboy entered first, then Rocket, and Zatanna, and lastly came Aqua lad caring a box of paints, brushes, pencils, pens, thick paper, and colored pencils. He smiled at Alexandra as he placed them down in front of her. She eyed the box like a thief eyes priceless gems.

"Alright." Robin said drawing everyone's attention. "For those who do not know, this is Alexandra," he said gesturing towards Alex. "She will be working with us on the assassin case because she has information on the case and has power." Robin nodded at Alexandra who glared at him. Finally she sighed accepting defeat,

"I can't say who's behind this. Whoever they are, they have been planning this for a very long time." Alexandra swallowed hard when all eyes were on her then she continued. "Megan told me you have two telepaths. One of them is unwilling participate. That would be my older sister, Jessie. She was taken a while ago. Years ago, in fact. The people who took her are using her ability to become her characters to create assassins or just puppets that have more power than a normal human would have. I can't even begin to guess what their aim is, but they have enough power to level countries with my sister." Everyone exchanged worried or in the case of a few, disbelieving glances. Alexandra could almost taste their fear. "On the positive side." She broke into their whispering. "The amount of power that would take to tap a character with that amount of power would be significant. Even a weak telepath would be able to feel that kind of surge. But also the more powerful the character the less time they can hold it. My sister will also fight to throw off or disrupt any connection, but she has been held captive for so long you cannot solely rely her."

"So can we track your sister back to her source location when she uses her powers?" asked Megan. Alexandra shook her head no.

"My sister has mental connection with both me and Robin." Some eyes turned to Robin questioningly. "In order to keep the other telepath out of those connections she must protect her inner self. So she makes a barrier that keeps out everyone." Wally raised his hand and asked,

"So how do they get the frame work for the characters?"

"My best guess, surface thoughts. They got a hold of her stories and then asked questions about it and picked the answers out of her surface thoughts. Even the most expert liars can't not think the answer to the questions. Or they have someone who is familiar with her stories and mind mining the information from her. This is a lot less likely seeing as; to the best of my knowledge, the only people who had access to her stories or would know about them are in this room."

"So how exactly does your sister's power work?"

"Our powers work by creating a telepathic connection or resonance with a character or picture. My sister is limited to any characters that she can form a true connection with. The stronger the connection the longer she can hold on. So, like my sister, any of the characters they choose will have to be compatible with the host mind. They can't make an inherently good character do bad things or things against their morals. Nor can they make an inherently good person take on a bad character. These people will also be limited for how long they can hold a transformation. How much energy my sister would normally need to expend as that character will also determine how they can hold a particular character. So if the character isn't doing much, it will last longer. However if they are moving earth and sky they will have a shorter period of time to work with."

"You said our?" asked Aqua lad. Alexandra nodded.

"I'm a little bit different from my sister in mechanics. But we do pretty much the same thing. Anything or anyone I draw I become. Not just become, I know their past, present, their plans for their future, and I know the inner workings of their heart. Unlike my sister I can become someone whose morals greatly differ from my own. But my, I guess you could call it my core self is significantly stronger. Meaning I'm not swayed by their choices the same way my sister is. My sister takes on all of their weaknesses, strengths, and abilities. So too will any character/person who draws from her power." What she didn't say was if she did take on a person or thing that wasn't similar to her it would be weaker than a true connection, and as a rule she didn't have as much power as Jessie.

"Are there any other limits to the power?" Rocket asked Alexandra nodded

"Physical differences will also matter. A girl cannot become a guy character unless they were born with male parts. However a male can become a woman. We believe it has something to do with the fact that humans start out as female when forming in their mother's womb. Someone born missing a limb will not have that limb if they become that character. However if they were born with the limb and lost it in an accident they will get a new limb. Things like that. Any other questions?" When no one answered Alexandra smiled and gestured to the books, "Good, grab a notebook and start taking note of any bad guy in the stories. Please include where you found it." Everyone in the group exchanged glances, but they all pulled up chairs and got to work.


	12. Chapter 12

A girl dressed in a classic magician's outfit stepped up and held out her hand.

"I'm Zatanna, it's nice to meet you." Alexandra shuck her hand and nodded.

"Alexandra, and likewise."

"I was wondering if you could show me your power?" Alexandra shrugged, it was only a guess, but she was sure the question had an alternative motive behind it.

"I can, but it's not like I can prove what I said, without becoming you. And I don't think you want me to know all your deepest darkest secrets." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the entire truth either. She would have access to everything in the person's mind but she have to know what she was looking for and go find it in the memories. Because people don't remember everything actively, their brains were more like computers loaded with files. Certain things would trigger a memory just like a short cut on a computer could take you to the file you wanted. Alex watched as Zatanna rubbed her arm uncomfortably.

"It's alright, show me." Alexandra raised her eyebrows slightly. This one must be desperate, she thought to herself. Alexandra nodded and grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil of the desk. She began sketching. First Zatanna's head and face. Then came other small details, ears, hair, and other marks. Once her face was done slowly her body came to life, until there was a life like sketch of Zatanna on the page. Alexandra turned the paper to show the other girl. When she saw everyone else was watching she turned the page to the other watchers. She got the usual compliments and applause before she laid the page down on the table again. Alexandra laid her hand over the image on the page. For a long moment nothing happened to her. Then it was almost like a bottle of ink had been dumped into her hair. Black started at the top of her head and slowly worked down. Her hair also visibly grew an inch. Skin and flesh seemed to become like soft clay which reformed into Zatanna's face and figure. Lastly her clothes violently tugged this way and that until suddenly they were Zatanna's.

Everyone in the room stared at Alexandra blandly. That was new to her, the few people she had shown this had been shocked. Alexandra as Zatanna stood up and twirled around asking,

"How do I look?" It was Zatanna's voice. Robin's eyes were slightly wider. He was the only who had noticed that Alexandra had not been kidding when she said she could become the person she took the form of. Alexandra put an arm around Zatanna and lead her away from the group. Once they were safely out of hearing range of the others Alexandra answered the question that was burning in the other girl's mind.

"What you want, I can't give you. Your father is being held be a lord of order. I am powerful, but I can't do this." Zatanna looked down at the floor and scuffed her shoe.

"Oh, okay." Alexandra could feel the other girl's pain very vividly and it was clawing at her. She shook off Zatanna's form and wrapped her arm around the older girl's shoulder. Zatanna sniffed and tried to hold back the tears that she swore she wouldn't shed. It was too much. She choked out, "He's all I have left. My.-" Alexandra pulled the other girl into a hug and patting her head like Alexandra's mother had done for her when she was hurt and in need of comfort.

"I know. I know." Zatanna stood there for a long time, her whole body wracked with silent sobs. Alexandra just held her until her sobs settled. Zatanna wiped her eyes and then stepped back from Alexandra.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean-." Alexandra held a hand up to silence the apology she knew was coming.

"Don't be sorry for what you cannot change, or for needing help. I'm certainly in no position to judge, especially since I came close to strangling Robin and electrocuting Kid Flash out of grief. But to your dilemma, have you tried just asking Dr. Fate."

"He won't give my father up." Alexandra shook her head.

"No, I didn't expect him to. I meant have you asked him to let you see your father. He has the ability to not take you into the helmet, but bring you on the same plain that your father is on." Zatanna wiped away the rest of her tears.

"I didn't even consider it." That was a bit of an understatement.

"I noticed that, you went straight for trying to remove the helmet when he was out cold." Zatanna had the grace to look a little ashamed of herself. "Dr. Fate is not evil Zatanna. He spent many years trapped in the helmet, and there was no way to guarantee he'd ever be let out again. If you had been in his shoes would you have done anything different?" Zatanna looked away from the younger girl. She had no idea what she would have done in Fate's shoes. She would like to say she would have found a different way, but she couldn't be sure. "There was one other thing you wanted to ask me." Zatanna looked back at Alexandra. Had there been something else? Then she blushed when she remembered.

"Your sister and Robin, what," she started again, "Were they-." Alexandra sighed and held up a hand to stop her. She called out with her mind, _Megan, can you come help me._

_Sure, be right there._ A moment later the other girl floated towards them.

"What do you need?"

"The memory room. I need to show Zatanna something." Megan nodded and pulled both girls into her mind. Then she gestured to the walls around them.

"Go ahead." Alexandra turned toward the wall and brought up a memory. Jessie and her were arguing,

"Regardless of what you or Richard think. I am not that selfless." Jessie put a hand under her sister's chin and raised it so she was looking squarely into her eyes. "We will see each other again. I swear on my powers and my very soul. This will not be permanent." A crest over Jessie's heart flashed.

"But he loves you! I love you! I don't want you to die." Jessie sighed,

"I don't want to die either, but I also don't want the world to die, or you. As for Richard loving me, he can find someone to love that won't hurt him. He'll probably be mad at me after this I won't hold it against him. And if he finds someone he loves, I dull the feelings he had for me so that he and who ever that lucky girl is has a shot at love. As for you, you know it will not be permanent and I will shield you from this." Alexandra sniffed.

"I know, I know you'll come back, but I don't want you to have to suffer." Jessie wrapped her arm around her sister and just held her.

"It will turn out okay in the end." Her sister promised simply. The memory faded and Alexandra nodded her thanks to Megan as they returned to their own minds. Megan quickly left in search of Connor. When she was out of earshot Alexandra told Zatanna,

"Yes my sister loved, still loves Robin. But I think she suspected he would find you. So maybe you should talk to Robin about this also; though leave out the part about her dulling his feelings. I don't think he will like that." Zatanna snorted.

"Probably not."


	13. Chapter 13

Together the girls returned to find everyone but Kid Flash sitting at the table. Each person had grabbed a notebook and a sheet of paper. Artemis looked up from what she was reading and said,

"Your sister is pretty good writer." Alexandra snorted flipping to the next page in the journal she had been reading.

"She's a horrible writer. However, she is a wonderful story teller. When she started writing she would throw herself into them and forget to eat sometimes." She pulled the art supplies to her and began working on creating the bios of characters that already had their profiles written up. Every now and then she went back to the notebook to get a better feel for the character.

Slowly the day turned to night. The pile of papers had steadily grown while the pile of unread notebooks shrank. They were winding down to the last few when Zatanna picked up an old hard bound journal. She untied the sash around it and found instead of neat script the book was filled with symbols. She stared at them for a long moment trying to decipher the meaning but nothing came to her. If anything the symbols seemed to move around and trade place with each other. Finally giving up she handed the notebook to Alexandra. Alexandra took the journal and scanned for only a moment before handing it to Robin.

"You're the only one who can read it, the symbols will sit still for you." Robin set aside the story he had been reading about a princess who had been turned into a cat be an evil witch. He took the journal and scanned the page, but the symbols jumped around every time he thought he had a little bit down. Robin shook his head and handed it back.

"Nope, they are moving for me too." Alexandra blinked. She knew Jessie had taught Robin to read the language, so why weren't the letters sitting still for him? Unless Robin didn't remember learning the language and there for the notebook didn't acknowledge him. She bit her lip. Jessie wrote some of her favorite stories in this language, if they didn't find a way to read it her book would be incomplete. That could send these guys in blind against very powerful enemies and that could only end badly for them. Jessie always liked making cunning or powerful bad guys for her hero's to beat. Alexandra sighed and ran her hand through her hair in agitation.

At that moment Batman came into the room. It grated on Alexandra's nerves that he moved so quietly she missed his entrance. She glared at him before turning back to the journal in front of her.

"How is the data collection going?" Kaldur'ahn looked to Alexandra and answered when he realized she wouldn't.

"We have almost finished collecting all the different villains from the stories or those who potentially helped villains. The few notebooks that we have left are all written in a strange language and changes every time someone tries to decipher it." Batman looked to Alexandra and stared back at him boldly.

"Can't you translate it?" It was on the tip of her tongue o say something snarky, but between Robin warning her with his eyes and Batman glaring at her she grudgingly decided against it.

"No, my sister made the language so that only those people she taught to read it could read it. The only person she taught doesn't remember, so the language doesn't acknowledge him." Or that was her best guess.

"Do you think our enemies will have access to this information or will they be limited as well?" Alexandra bit her lip. This was a very difficult question to answer because everything was speculation.

"I honestly can't say for sure. They may have a similar problem, but since they have Jessie they might be able to read it through her. The problem is I don't know how exactly she did this. So I can't answer for sure."

"You became Zatanna, can't you become your sister?"

"I have tried, but my sister can prevent me from becoming her. I don't think that's what's happening though. Even when she tried to prevent me from getting into her mind I can still reliably get flashes of what's happening to her; emotions, thoughts, feelings. In this case her thoughts are groggy and cloudy like she's lost deep in her own head. I think she is being kept heavily sedated. Which makes sense, my sister would cause a lot of problems for anyone trying to hold her against her will, especially when you consider what they did to Rob-." Alexandra stopped herself short and mentally cursed herself. Robin had seen the after math of what had happened to him through her comic strip, but he still didn't know the full extent of what he had gone through at their hands. He didn't need that memory back, if she had guessed right that was one memory Jessie would make sure stay buried forever. Batman nodded.

"Put together what you have then, we will have to do without it." He turned to go and Alexandra started to gather up all the pages with information on the sheets of paper and pulled the art supplies toward her. "But do that tomorrow. It won't help if you're dead on your feet." Alexandra nodded and turned to Megan.

"I don't suppose there is a spare room here I can take." The green girl beamed and nodded.

"I took the liberty of contacting your family and telling them you'd be spending the night and getting you some clothes." Alexandra was grateful to the Martian girl. She hadn't called her mom and told her she had left and her mom would panic if she didn't call.

"I can show you." She waved a hand and all of Jessie's notebooks and binders were stacked in neat piles. The art supplies were stacked on top of the sheets of paper with all the bad guy information on it. Any notebooks they had been unable to read were set in a separate pile. Then the girl floated quickly from the room with Alexandra running to keep up. Megan slowed so she could keep up and apologized profusely.

"It's alright." Alexandra said for the third or fourth time. Megan finally landed in front of a door and pushed it open. The room was large, but lacked windows. Instead the room had a giant screen with a camera view of the Happy Harbor at the base of the mountain. The town glowed with a soft light that reminded Alexandra of the suburbs just outside the city of Gotham. She turned to the small bed and desk at the other side of the room. The blankets smelt like they had been recently washed. "You cleaned in here didn't you." It was a statement that made Megan blush.

"Yes, I thought you would like it. I figured you would probably want to rest before heading home." Not looking at Megan Alexandra replied,

"I'm not going home until I find my sister." Megan's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"But what about school? I only informed your parents about tonight." Alexandra shrugged

"I'll still go to school, but I also want to bring my sister home." Megan nodded and left Alexandra to get ready for bed.


	14. Chapter 14

There was a bathroom connected to her room. She decided a shower would be a good way to unwind from all the stress of the day. After she was showered and cleaned she changed into PJs and wrapped her wet hair in a towel.

Alexandra flopped down on her bed after she shut the door. For a long moment she just stared up at the ceiling. She reached out for the bond that her and Jessie shared. Bone deep exhaustion flooded her mind. Alexandra pushed past it and moved deeper through the bond. Finally her mind snapped free of her body and she was in her sister's mind.

The room was beautiful. Wooden doors covered all the open space on the walls. Each door had its own carvings or murals on them. The ceiling was made of white branches that were interwoven into a huge umbrella. Jessie had always been a fan of stereotypical Elvin architecture. Alexandra's gaze fell on the crystal at the center of the room. It was a giant quartz crystal that grew up out of the center of the floor and acted like a mood ring of sorts. It would swirl with different colors based on what Jessie was feeling. Now is was a sickly gray with blue mixed in. This is where she found Jessie, leaning up against the crystal her legs folded underneath her. She smiled weakly at her younger sister.

"What are you doing here?" she yawned and tried to stand but she slipped back to a sitting position.

"I need to know how to translate your books." Jessie rubbed her tired eyes before replying.

"Robin can read it." The whole room vibrated as something seemed to bang on the walls. Jessie gripped her stomach like she was going puke. The walls bowed inward toward them. Jessie gasped in pain and sweat dotted her brow. The crystal changed from a gray and blue to a red and black that moved quickly in jerking agitated patterns. "You need to go; if you are here when he breaks through he will have access to your mind too." Alexandra bent down beside her sister. "I'll hide your door."

"Robin wasn't able to read the book. It changed when he tried." Jessie hissed in pain and gripped at her head. The pounding grew louder and Alexandra was sure the chamber was going to implode soon. "Does he have access to those stories?" Jessie shook her head no.

"Not yet, he can't access that. Those stories will be safe for now, but you need to work on waking that memory. There is power in those books." The ceiling shifted the branches started reaching down towards the doors like white snakes. They twined around all but one of the doors. "You must go quickly, Alex." Jessie waved a hand and the door flung open to reveal Alexandra's body. "I won't let him follow."

"Who is he?" Jessie gave her sister a half smile.

"I do not know. Just that at one time we did know him. I feel it, I just can't figure out who." That made Alexandra pause. Her sister was lying to her. She knew who it was. Was Jessie protecting her captor or her sister?

"Jessie?" Jessie used the last of her strength to stand and point at the open door.

"Go!" Jessie waved her hand and Alexandra was cast back into her body, and the door slammed shut behind her. Alexandra sat up in bed as tears rose up. She fought them off and ran her hands through her hair. She sat up in bed and took deep breath to calm her mind. She hadn't lied to Batman when he had asked if she could become her sister. But she hadn't necessarily been truthful about being able to contact her. You can't become someone you are so connected to that you have a permanent mind connection. But she also didn't want Batman to try and send someone through the mind link. The thought alone was repulsive. Even if Alexandra gave her permission Jessie couldn't, and that would be the equivalent of mind rape. Since both her and her sister were such strong psychics it would be that much worse. There was potential to leave one of both of them in a catatonic state if the person made one wrong move. And if Jessie fought such an invasion she could kill the person who went through. That thought stopped Alexandra; an invasion was exactly what Jessie was fighting off right now. A soft knock on her door had her jumping out of bed.

"Yes?" The door swung inward and Robin was standing in the doorway. He looked unsure of himself, it might have made Alexandra laugh a few years ago, but now it made her wary. She sat back down on her bed and gestured to the chair next to her. "You look like someone with questions on their mind." Robin rubbed the back of his head.

"That easy to tell huh?" He plopped down in the chair and asked, "What weren't you telling Batman?" Alexandra kept her face perfectly blank even though she knew he would see right through her; he always did.

"What do you mean?" Robin gave her a pointed look.

"I may not remember Jessie." Alexandra winced at her sister's name. "But I do remember you and you were hiding something." Alexandra huffed a sigh and looked away from Robin. She had never liked how perceptive he could be. Jessie always thought of it as an amusing game, but she found it down right annoying.

"I didn't lie."

"No, but you didn't give the full truth either." Alexandra shrugged not entirely sorry about either.

"What does it matter?"

"We could find her." Alexandra's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"If we could doing it that way, don't you think I would have done so by now?" she demanded. Her eyes flashed with anger that was just barely restrained. Robin shuddered remembering her earlier attack. Alexandra took a deep calming breath before starting again. "I'm sorry, but what you are asking I cannot give you. I do not have a way to communicate with Jessie anymore. She has blocked it and with good reason. If you tried to fix the path you risk hurting her or handing over the person who crossing into her mind to our enemy as a puppet."

"There has to be some way to reach her and find out more." The way he said it gave Alexandra pause. There was desperation, guilt, but mostly a sorrow that she knew was reflection of her own. Then a thought occurred to her. He door might be barred but that didn't mean his was. And Robin wasn't telepathic so he would be safe in Jessie's mind.

"You can reach her. I'm sure you already have." Robin nodded

"Only in dreams." he admitted, he hadn't told anyone about the strange dreams. He had felt oddly protective of them.

"I'll take what I can get."


	15. Chapter 15

"So you know how to make so I can speak with her whenever I sleep?"

"No," she thought about it and snorted, "But that does sound oddly creepy and a little like a wet dream." This remark was rewarded with Robin blushing and becoming very flustered.

"I didn't mean, that's not," he hid his face in his hands and sighed in frustration. "Not what I was going for." He finally said. Alexandra snorted at him, it wasn't as much fun being mean to him as it used to be. Or maybe it was because Jessie wasn't here to tell her to stop.

"I know, I just like messing with you, it's a lot easier now." Robin ran a hand through his hair.

"I suppose it is." Alexandra stared at him for a long time, he was biting his lip and fidgeting, all things Robin didn't do. Finally she said,

"Alright, spit it out. You didn't just come to find out what I was hiding." Robin rubbed the back of his head and fidgeted in his seat again.

"I talked to Zatanna." Alexandra rubbed her face and was tempted to walk away right then and there, but she let him continue. "About how we should proceed in our relationship." Nope, she couldn't do it. Her and Robin had been friends for a while, but this crossed lines well past awkward and well into creepy.

"No, no, no!"

"Oh come on?" he pleaded. Alexandra glared at him, he couldn't ask for her advice here and frankly she didn't have thoughts on this. Zatanna was her friend and Jessie her sister for crying out loud.

"No, that is something you have to work out with Zatanna and yourself."

"How am I supposed to make a decision when I can't even remember anything about Jessie?" Alexandra groaned and scrubbed her eyes with her the heel of her palms.

"Do you have any idea what you are asking me? I love my sister and I like Zatanna. Both of them are wonderful women." She sighed and looked Robin in the eye. "If you feel you must know more, why not try talking to Jessie?"

"How?" Alexandra rose her eyebrows at him.

"Like I said earlier, dreams. You have a connection to her, one that even from a telepath's stand point is strong. Though you have none of the draw backs of a telepath's connection."

"How is that possible? I'm human!" In that moment something very dangerous shifted behind Alexandra's eyes. Something that very much reminded Robin of a predator. It was something he did not want to face.

"So is Jessie." It was said through clenched teeth and energy crackled around her making the hair on the back of his neck stand up on end. He held up his hands in the age old sign of surrender. He knew he had crossed a line.

"I didn't mean it that way." How was it possible he seemed to make everything worse?

"No you only pining over your problems of choosing between two girls, and hinting that you less than thrilled with my sister on the off chance she is not completely human, which is somehow a problem to you. Even though your best friend is half fish, one of your teammates is Martian, another is a clone, and you and Batman are the only humans with no "power"." This shamed him like nothing else could, he was being selfish. Alexandra and Jessie had sacrificed so much for him; for the world, and this was a poor way to repay them.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid, mostly for a woman I can barely remember, but I know more than anything I want to remember her." He rubbed the back of his head. "Ever since the first time I dreamt of her, I couldn't stop thinking about her. On some level I knew she was real. Since that first time we talked I felt." He just didn't have the words for the different emotions he had felt and the lack of understanding of why he felt those things had made everything so damn confusing. Alexandra nodded her understanding.

"Then dream."

"But I don't know how." He pleaded desperately.

"I'll help this time, but you'll have to figure it out eventually, because as you said you're human with no powers, so how you do this is different from the way I do it." Alexandra's hair was washed with silver and her irises turned milky white. Her clothes jerked this way and that until they were white robes. Her ears pulled into pointed ears and she grew about a foot taller. Robin stared into her eyes and fell into them. Alexandra caught Robin before he could hit the floor. She quickly swept through the halls and laid Robin down on the couch before shifting back to herself. "Good luck." she wished him. Then she tossed a blanket over top of him and headed back to her own room.

Robin felt like he had hit a brick wall. He stood up and took a survey of everything around him, only there was nothing. No obvious floor, no walls, no ceiling. He turned around and found a door. It was made a light colored wood and an ancient wrought iron handle. On the door was a carved image of a woman in a cloak; Bard he guessed. Along the edge of the door were the same symbols that had been in the journal. Only these didn't move. It took him a moment to find the pattern in them. When he was able to decipher it, it read,

_I'm Bard, named by my friend. I am protector, storyteller, sibling, daughter, friend. As long as there is breath in my body I shall protect this world and the people in it. This is my promise to you. Enter my friend._

Robin wondered if this was the way he had come the previous time. He grabbed the handle and pushed the door in. It was the same room he had been in the last time. He turned back to look at the door he had come through and gasped. His image was etched into this side of the door. Around that image were all his different personas, only two he didn't recognize. A slight gasp drew his attention. Behind the crystal, on the floor lay Jessie still and cloaked. Robin ran to her and tore off her cloak. He was horrified to find Jessie's face was a patchwork of bruises and a few cuts covered her face. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was too shallow.

"Jessie. Jessie!" He shook her awake. She moaned and opened her swollen eyes.

"How did you get here?" A smile touched her cracked lips at the sight of him. Robin cradled her gently in his arms.

"I'm pretty sure your sister sent me here. What happened?"

"He came in, took all stories." Robin glanced around finally noticed all the doors were hanging loosely on their hinges. Many of the doors were bent, dented, a few were even completely shattered. There were broken branches from the ceiling laying scattered across the floor.

"Who?" she panted and moaned.

"He is different. I didn't even recognize him at first." Her whole body was shaking like a leaf. Her eyes were staring up at the ceiling like she was terrified and reliving what had happened.

"Jessie who is-?" Then he noticed it. Jessie's features were slowly becoming drawn. She looked like a skeleton with skin stretched over her body. Robin looked down at her body which had basically wasted away to almost nothing. "How?" she wheezed out a half laugh.

"I've been stuck here Robin, in my mind. I haven't eaten real food in years. The only way I leave this room is if you call me out into your dreams. My mind is starting to reflect the state of my body."

"How is that possible?" How was she still alive? How much longer could she hold out in such a state?

"I don't know." Her eye lids fluttered shut.

"Jessie, where are you?" she took a deep gasping breath and sat up to whisper, "Wake up." into his ear. Robin's eyes opened just as several waves of energy rippled through the air. It was like bomb went off. The alarms were blaring footsteps pounded Robin heading in the direction of the main room.


	16. Chapter 16

"What the hell was that?" Artemis demanded. Batman walked into the room and clicked a button on the computer. A globe shaped map of the world popped up on the giant screen. A blip was shown off the northwest coast off Greenland and the other was smack dab in the center of the Mediterranean Sea.

"It was two power surges of psychic energy." Alexandra came sweeping in the room and took only one look at the map.

"My sister." Batman nodded

"We believe so."

"No, it was my sister." She was suddenly thoughtful as her gaze fell on Robin. "She hasn't had the power to do this, so how was she able to do this now?" Megan floated up to Robin and laid a hand on him. Her mind connected to his then instantly she disconnected.

"She drew power from you." There was a brief look of horror on Megan's face, like she had glimpsed what he had seen in Jessie's mind.

"But which one is she in?" asked Zatanna. Alexandra looked thoughtfully at the map her eyes seemed glazed over for a brief moment. Then she pointed to the blip off the coast of Greenland.

"My sister is being held here." she pointed to the other blip. "This, however, is where all their soon to be assassins are being held and prepped. You will want a large team there, anyone you can round up." Batman didn't question her information, but Robin couldn't help but wonder why these places were so far apart.

"The Justice League cannot spare anyone."

"Then you'll have to find more people like us then." Rocket, Zatanna, Artemis, Megan, Kid Flash, and Robin all looked thoughtful and exchanged knowing glances. It wouldn't be hard to find people up to the task.

"We know a few people who might be interested." Megan added, Alexandra nodded.

"Contact them." She looked at the map and chewed on her lower lip. She prayed this wasn't a set up, because it sure smelt fishy. She looked to Robin.

"You and me are going for my sister." A look crossed over Zatanna's features. Worry? Robin shoved the thought to the back of his mind. He could worry about that after Jessie was safe. "Oh, I almost forget." She pulled a decent size book from her jacket pocket. No one was willing to ask how it fit there. "You will need this." he handed the book to Aqualad.

"But we don't have time study." Kid Flash put in. Alexandra smiled.

"That's okay, I did." Before Wally or anyone else could ask how this was helpful Alexandra looked Megan. "Link us up." The next moment everyone was standing in Megan's mind, including Batman and Black Canary. They all glanced at the woman who appeared beside Megan. She wore a long flowing green dress that was embellished with emeralds and pearls. Her skin was milky white while her hair was long and the color of gold. Her sharp gray eyes scanned everyone.

"Alexandra?" Zatanna asked. The woman inclined her head regally like a queen addressing her subjects. The book she had given to Aqualad was now in the woman's hands.

"I am Fist Enchanter of the Royal Court of Thebes, and councilor of the monarchy, Elaine the second." She looked down her nose at everyone. "I have been informed-." She looked horrified as her mouth opened and Alexandra's voice came out instead.

"Get on with it already, we don't have all day." Elaine huffed indignantly.

"Very well then." She held up book that Alexandra had completed. It floated out of her hand and went to over in the center of the room, turning this way and that. She began to mutter in a language no one understood, but it gave everyone the shivers. Power crackled through the air like lightening and Elaine drew close to Robin. He didn't even notice the ceremonial knife that appeared in her hand until she caught his wrist, turned up his palm, and quickly sliced the dagger across it. He winced and yelped in pain trying to pull his hand back, but Elaine's grip was firm without crushing his wrist. She none too gently tugged his hand to the book that was still suspended in the air. The moment Robin's bloody palm touched the book's leather it sprang open to the first page on its own accord. Then it flipped through ever single page at lightening speeds before slamming shut again; good as new and not a single drop of blood on it.

She did this with every single person until she came to Wally. He already had both his hands firmly jammed into his pockets. "You know I'm not really fond of knives, maybe I could-." Elaine began muttering different words in the same language before swiping a finger across her lips. To everyone's shock; especially Wally's, his mouth had been wiped clean off leaving nothing but smooth skin where it had once been. He started running around clawing at his face panicking. Elaine held up her hand and Wally froze mid step. She then crooked her finger at him. He turned and started walking to her like a toy soldier with no knees. He scrunched his eyes shut as she took his hand and repeated the ritual with him. Once that was done she snorted at him,

"Here I thought you were heroes, why are you flinching at a small cut like a child?" Then she snapped her fingers and his face was returned to normal. He was equally fascinated with his now working mouth as he was with suddenly having all the knowledge in the book that he decided to ignore her barb.

"I don't suppose you'd mind doing that for my history class?" Elaine looked affronted at the mere thought.

"Magic is not meant to be used in such a fashion." Wally looked like he was about to say something else when Artemis put in,

"Think you could teach me that?" Both woman ignored Wally's undignified squawk at the idea of his mouth being wiped away again. Elaine's keen eyes studied Artemis, then her gaze slid to Wally. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of the woman's lips. Everyone else started to leave back to their own minds

"I wish I could." She then turned to Wally. "What do you know of Artemis, boy?" Wally blushed and was about to say something when Elaine interrupted. "The Greek goddess, not this woman." Wally rubbed his head.

"Right, umm, she was the goddess of the hunt." Elaine smiled in a way that was all teeth and nodded, clearly amused.

"Very good, yes she is, like a lot of goddesses she was also vengeful." Wally froze already guessing where this was going. "One time a man was out hunting with his dogs and he came upon the goddesses bathing. He had seen her clothes but instead of leaving he went for a look."

"Bet she was hot." Elaine chuckled darkly flashing her teeth and giving the impression of a hungry wolf.

"Yes, Artemis is beautiful, and he paid very dearly for his crime. She turned him into a stag and sent his hounds into a frenzy. They tore him apart." The gulp that Wally made was audible. "While I do not believe this Artemis will turn you into a dear and feed you to hunting dogs, I do believe she will make you pay very dearly if you cross her. So few have ever truly loved the moon goddess as she should have been." With that she left leaving Wally feeling worried and oddly proud.

Once everyone was back in their own minds Red Tornado walked into the room carrying a very large box that rattled with each step.

"These are the items you wished me to gather." Alexandra as herself took the box and thanked him after handing the book to Batman to give to the Justice League. Inside were several pouches. Alexandra tossed one to each person and before explaining.

"Some of the characters you will face need special tools to defeat or restrain them. All such things are in these. That also includes charms and talismans that will offer you protection. Go ahead and put those on. I have a feeling you'll need them before the night is up."


	17. Chapter 17

Once everyone was equipped Alexandra made sure the five newcomers also had the same knowledge, making them go through the same ritual as the others. Then all five were given the same pouches of equipment that Alexandra had requested of Red Tornado. When that was done everyone squeezed into the bio ship. Megan produced two thermal wet suits that Batman had provided for them. She handed one to Robin and another to Alexandra. The bio ship then created two small stalls for the two to change. When he was finished changing Robin then took a breathing apparatus from his belt and passed it to Alexandra.

"You know how to use that right?" Alexandra raised her eyebrows at him and asked mockingly,

"Can you?" A half smile spread across her lips. Alexandra reached into her pouch which was a match to the ones everyone else wore, she pulled out what looked like a laminated baseball card. On closer inspection Robin realized it was a hand painted card. The back of the card had a short summery of the character on the front side of the card was a painted image of a woman that was breath taking. She had long black hair, milky white skin, bright red lips, but her eyes were what truly caught Robin's attention. They were a bright but deep purple that reminded him of a lightning strike. Robin noted this was the same woman he had first met Alexandra as, though her clothing was a little different. In this picture she wore what looked like a navy blue kendo outfit with a black belt synching her waist.

"Who is she?" Alexandra looked down on the back of the card where the description was written in smooth cursive.

"This says she is the human vessel for one of the three great spirits of Chi. Story goes that both vessel and spirit are the eldest of their siblings. They have control over the different elemental forces of nature; water, fire, air, lightning, and earth." She kept scanning the blurb of information, but she said no more.

"What is her name?" Alexandra glanced down at the card again and shrugged.

"I don't know, Jessie didn't put a name down so she might not have one yet. Her story is still young and unfinished yet." Robin couldn't help but smile at the subtle reassurance that they would save Jessie. She had a lot of questions to answer when they were all safe. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zatanna shift away from him at the mention of Jessie. He sighed to himself; they still hadn't managed to work things out.

"Why do you have that?" Robin asked curiously. Alexandra ran her thumb over the face of the woman on the card. "I thought you didn't actually need something to transform?" Alexandra nodded.

"I don't need to be touching it in order to transform. I need to have drawn the character at some point in my life. But doing it this way helps me transform faster and it saves energy, allowing me to hold a character longer. Kind of like how I'm sure you can do plenty of things one handed but you do them with both hands because it is more expedient." Robin nodded at the truth of this though he had trained his body to do just about everything different ways, he still couldn't help old habits.

"We are approaching the drop sight." Alexandra nodded to Megan acknowledging the other girl. Then she laid the card facing up on her open palm. Her body swiftly went though the change that had earlier taken her a few minutes. However this transformation was a little different, her clothes didn't change except to grow larger and accommodate the few extra inches of height. This woman slipped the card back into the pouch.

"Do you have a card for every character?" Wally asked jokingly, but the woman proceeded to pull out a massive deck of tarot cards from the bag at her waist.

"We have many that Alexandra thought would be useful, but not all of them." There were plenty of shocked expressions at this revelation. Most off the team realized that Alexandra would have had to hand draw all of the cards and they knew each one was a tiny master piece. But Robin was staring wide eyed at this woman because of her voice. Her voice was soft and almost devoid of emotion and it had the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Then she looked up at him and he swallowed hard by what he saw in her eyes. Lightning crackled across her irises like bright blue veins on a purple backdrop.

"What do I call you?" Robin managed to ask. The woman glared at him and she looked like she was about to say something very rude when her mouth opened Alexandra's voice snapped across the room,

"Answer him." The woman scowled at even the mere thought.

"He has the feel of my sister's husband. The one who betrayed her to her death." The words were a slap across Robin's face. It was a reminder of how much he had failed Jessie and a reminder of his ignorance all in one. All the sudden the air around Robin was gone as if it had been sucked in by a vacuum. Robin dropped to one knee and clawed at his throat desperately trying to get Oxygen into his empty lungs. A look of anger passed over the woman's face and Alexandra shouted,

"That's enough!" With a wave of her hand Alexandra returned the air to Robins starved burning lungs. Most of the rest of the team moved aggressively towards Alexandra. Robin coughed and dragged gulps of air down into his shaking body. He waved off the rest of his team. They respected him but continued to watch Alexandra with suspicion and anger.

"I'm sorry." the woman replied. "I'm just eager to have my sister returned to me. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. That was uncalled for. You may call me by my given name, Mirra." The rest of the crew still looked on Mirra with anger, except Megan who had not only been in Alexandra's mind but read Mirra's story. She knew the trauma Mirra had gone through at witnessing her sister's murder and rebirth. It worried her that this was the character Alexandra had chosen, but she sighed and pushed that thought aside as the bio ship buzzed.

"We have reached the drop location."


	18. Chapter 18

Megan pushed a button and a small hole opened up in the floor of the bio ship. Below them was a seemingly endless stretch of ocean. Mirra placed the small breathing device in her pouch before stepping out into the air. She plunged into the icy water below ignoring Robin's surprised yell pleading with her to put on the breathing apparatus. The salt water burned her eyes for only a moment before an air bubble pushed the water away from her face and hovered around her head like a strange mask.

A splash above Mirra had her looking up to find Robin swimming desperately toward her. She resisted the urge to laugh and waved her hand. Another bubble rose up to greet Robin and wrapped around him allowing him to breath. He touched the bubble in wonder and testing its strength when it held even under the force of his hand he turned to her and asked,

"This is your doings?" Mirra smiled this time and nodded.

"I do have control over water and air so it is a simple thing to draw air around us to breath. This should help you see and by extension react better." Mirra turned away from him and seemed to scan the black water around them.

Robin was double checking the location of the shockwave on GPS in his watch when a current slammed into his side. It knocked him sideways a few feet and knocked the wind out of him. He turned to yell at Mirra when a huge gray shape blurred past him leaving only bubbles where he had just been floating. The breathing apparatus dropped out of his mouth as he coughed and dragged air back into his lungs. A hiss came from Mirra as she was floated closer to Robin, almost protectively.

"What was that?" Robin coughed as he just barely managed to catch the breathing apparatus before it disappeared into the depths of the ocean. Mirra growled like a wild animal her gaze following the gray burr as it swam away.

"An enemy who would seek to use my sister's children against us." Robin restrained the urge to point out that didn't answer his question because of what he heard in her voice. There was rage and grief in Mirra's voice that bordered on insanity. There was something different about her too. Robin looked closer and noticed her eyes were actually glowing. Under her wet suit a strange pattern glowed. It looked like a sun with symbols of the different elemental natures at its heart. Mirra's gaze shifted suddenly to below them. "Beware, the shark comes again. I'll look for the one controlling it." The words were on the tip of his tongue to point out he had no real way of battling a giant shark underwater when a cage formed around him. The bars were made of lightening and Robin gently reached out to touch them. His hand passed harmlessly through the center of the hissing electricity.

"Wow."

"That should protect you and allow you to keep the shark distracted. Try not to kill it." Robin bit back the snarky remark as the shark came speeding back up from the depths of the ocean for another go at him. He gaped at the sheer size of the monster. It was as least fifty feet long. Its huge jaws were open and heading straight for him. This time the monster slammed nose first into the bars and jerked away almost instantly. It floated in the water for a few minutes and twitched slightly. He couldn't help but pity the poor creature. It had rammed the most sensitive part of its body directly into the magically charged bars and clearly suffered from it. The shark made an odd almost groaning sound before it shook itself and swam away. Hopefully for good, Robin thought.

Sighing in relief Robin turned away from the beast and looked for Mirra. She was grappling with a small man a few feet away and below him. He held a serrated ceremonial blade with strange symbols etched into its surface. The man attempted to gut Mirra though she was able to move out of the wicked looking blade's path just in time. With a delicate wave of her hand bubbles sprung up from the deep. They created two separate cages around each combatant. Mirra floated gracefully in her bubble and brought her hand to her mouth. She bit the soft flesh between her thumb and her pointer finger until blood welled up. Allowing the blood well up into her palm before she swiftly began writing in a strange language down both arms and the side of the bubble. At the sight of the strange words the man renew his efforts to escape. He made signs with his hands and would mutter strange things. Power would lash at the bubble causing it to bulge and swell but it did not break.

"Amazing." Robin whispered in awe. He was a little startled when a voice chuckled light heartedly in his mind.

"Yes, we are." It was not Alexandra, Jessie, or even Mirra's voice. This voice shook Robin to his very core because of its raw power. It hurt to listen and yet the voice was so beautiful he craved to hear it again.

"Who are you?" he asked hoping the voice wouldn't answer and yet a less sane part of him was praying it would. He noticed when the voice spoke again the sign on Mirra's stomach glowed brighter. This time when she answered Robin got the impression of tempered strength, and his ears didn't hurt.

"I am in her. I am an ancient being and yet I'm younger than you. I am powerful beyond your comprehension, yet I'm greatly limited as I am. Your young author friend had no idea what she created when she gave my siblings and I life." The voice pause and was suddenly very thoughtful when she answered again. "Or maybe she did. Curious."

"That doesn't exactly answer my question." There was amusement in the voice when it answered again,

"I know. Now watch." Robin felt the voice fade from his mind. Mirra had finished drawing on the bubble. Mirra's cage moved quickly to hover only inches from the man's cage. He redoubled his fruitless efforts to free himself as Mirra reached through her bubble. When she laid her open palm on the barrier that held her foe her lips began to move like she was chanting. Bloody letters slid down her arm over the surface of the second bubble. The letters skimmed across the surface of the bubble to create a bloody seal. The seal forced the bubble to gradually shrink in size until the prisoner was forced into a fetal position.

"Don't kill him." yelled Robin. He suddenly feared Mirra intended to crush the man. Mirra shot him a confused look.

"I have no intention of killing this man. Don't you recognize him?" Now that she mentioned it the book that Alexandra had created opened in his mind. There was a flurry of pages as the book flipped open to the page with this man's picture and description. This man was a mercenary for hire, the notes said this man was not actually evil. Quite the opposite actually, this man and the group he came from were very honorable. But once they were hired for a job they completed it or died trying. "This will simply hold him securely and ensure he cannot inform to his employer until we can release the man within him. However I may not be so generous to some of the other men we run across." It was a very unsubtle reminder that Mirra came from a very different world and way of life.

"Killing is not our way, Mirra." Robin said forcefully.

"Correction, killing is not your way. It is my way if the circumstances call for it. Even a shield can be used to slay monsters." He supposed not knowing could be very dangerous.

"These are men, not monsters." Mirra looked at him for a long moment. Robin couldn't even begin to guess what she was thinking.

"You truly are a lot like my sister. She saw a spark of good even the blackest heart and fought tooth and nail to save that spark, even when it cost her. She couldn't understand that humans are some of the worst monsters to walk the earth." She turned back to the direction she had been heading before they were interrupted and said, "Come on, I am eager to finally free my sister." With a wave of her hand she dispelled the lightening around him and the larger bubble around her. Together the two of them dived deeper into the cold depths of the ocean.


	19. Chapter 19

Robin glanced at his GPS checking to make certain they were traveling in the right direction. Somehow Mirra was heading the right way without using any equipment that Robin could see. It was like she could feel where Jessie was. As Robin thought about that, it made sense. Looking down a structure appeared in the gloom and seemed to loom out of the oppressive darkness of the deep water. As they approached Robin noticed that it was basically a huge network of tunnels that resembled a hamster's home. It sprawled like thick black veins over the ocean floor casting muted light along its sides. Bright search lights cut through the darkness looking for possible enemies. Looking for them Robin realized. They knew their first line of defense had been breached.

"They will probably have more security measures on the inside and along the perimeter of the base. We will have to move carefully." Robin knew if it were just him he would be able to move stealthy, but he had no idea what Mirra was capable of in such situations. She studied the structure before informing him,

"They seem to have a lot of power running through this. A little more than this building would need even considering life support and general powering of this place." Robin hovered there watching the base. Mirra pointed to a large box at the center of the of the sprawling complex. "That is where my sister being held. That is also most of the power seems to be diverted to." He had no way to confirm what Mirra saw or more likely felt. Turning over possible ways to get in undetected he kept coming back to the same almost crazy idea. So he asked,

"Can you bring that shark back?" Mirra shrugged.

"I can ask it to return and perform tasks, but it is entirely up to the shark whether it does what I ask or not. My sister held sway over animals not me." So this plan rested on the whim of a shark, Robin thought. This would either fail miserably or work out perfectly.

"It's worth a shot. If you can, get it to ram that portion of the structure." He pointed the area that was farthest from them. Mirra nodded her understanding then clapped her hands together. A wave of energy rippled outwards in all directions from her. Robin felt a strange sensation as it passed through him, like he was hearing a garbled language and being energized at the same time. Together the two of them hovered and waited. For a long time nothing happened, and he was on the verge of giving up and trying to think of a new plan when Mirra pointed to something in front of them. Out of the darkness a large grey shape took form.

The shark had returned, but it wasn't alone, there was now a whole school of sharks, and even a pod of whales. The big one that had attacked Robin earlier broke away from the school and swam small lazy circles around Mirra. It seemed to Robin as if the two were communicating with each other though neither made a sound. After what seemed like minutes of an intense stare down the shark glided back to the school which angled towards the base.

"They will help us free my sister, but only because of who she is and the fact that we freed one of them." Robin sighed in relief. "They also say they can stay only a short while it is their time of breeding and the their next generation will suffer if they do not make it the breeding waters in time." Robin nodded he could expect no more than the creatures were willing to give the fact they agreed to help at all was a small miracle. The fact that so many answered Mirra's call was a shock to him. Now that Robin looked closer he could see there were many different species of shark present.

They watched as the sharks swam to the area Robin had pointed out. He wondered if Mirra had warned them to avoid any other humans. He hoped so. The sharks and whales went to work bombarding the base. The sharks bit and ripped the search lights from the sides while the whales put large dents in the walls. Some of those areas started spewing bubbles where the metal had cracked all the way through to the interior of the base. A group of small but long fish appeared out of the dark depths. They latched onto the structure and gnawed holes into the metal. It took them only moments for bubbles to bellow out of the small circular holes.

"Cookie cutter sharks." Mirra nodded

"We know them by a different name where I am from, but I have heard them called that before too." After many holes had been drilled into the walls the strange fish swam off, back to where they had come from. It suddenly accrued to Robin that he amount of pressure from the water could potentially flatten the whole structure and kill everyone inside including Jessie. Mirra guessed where his thoughts had gone and assured him. "Don't worry, these people will not die if they react quickly in sealing the breaches." He sighed in relief. Mirra snorted then moved away from where the sharks were attacking. On the opposite side she found a docking bay for submarines. Together the two of them slipped in unnoticed because of the chaos the sharks and whales were causing in the other parts of the base.

Inside there was a single submarine that was probably a supply ship though unfortunately it had not been unloaded so there was nothing but empty space between them and the guard stationed by the door. A second guard paced back and forth along the water's edge obviously bored. Robin sighed in relief, a bored guard was a guard that was paying only half as much attention to his job as he should be.

"We need to take them both out at the same time or they could raise the alarm." He checked his belt and was about to pull out some knives when Mirra laid a hand on his shoulder and pointed to the camera stationed above the door.

"I think that is connected through a different system. And I might have a way to knock them out a bit more naturally. Then you can take out the video feed and it will be like we were never here." A good idea.

"There will be more cameras." he pointed out.

"But they are all linked." She smiled at him and he pretended not to notice how smug she looked.

"How do you know?"

"I can see the flow of electricity. A gift from the spirit who resides in me. Though I have never seen so much outside of lightning storms." Which made him wonder what kind of world Mirra came from. Mirra looked around and smiled a wolfish grin.


	20. Chapter 20

"I can remove the threats that the guards pose, but you will want to remove the camera's as threats. Make it so there is no record of us coming through here."

"Can you do so without being noticed?" Mirra's smile sent a chill down Robin's spine.

"I can even make it look like a complete accident." Robin opened his mouth to remind Mirra they were not going to kill when she grumbled grudgingly. "It won't kill them." Mirra swam towards the bay wall on their left. Once their she made the strange hand signs again whispered quietly to herself. A small puddle of water that was near her twitched and then slowly snaked its way over to the first guard. A wave splashed more water into the puddle allowing it to extend to the second guard all the way over by the door. Mirra repeated the process, but Robin noticed this time the hand signs were slightly different. She then laid her hand on a power cable that ran past her an into a fuse panel. The panel exploded open and live wires fell into the puddle with electricity pulsing loudly.

There was a loud pop before the lights went dim and a gasp of pain from both guards. Robin waited to hear the splat as both guards hit the ground unconscious. Or at least he hoped they were. He was about to pull himself up on the platform when he saw the still buzzing wires and thought better of it.

"It's not going to shock me too?"

"No, we are protected." The door at the opposite end slid open and Robin dropped his hands to his weapons. Mirra was already preparing to whisper one of her spells if an intruder entered. But no one came. The pair exchanged worried glances before Robin muttered,

"Must be an emergency protocol in case the power goes out." Mirra nodded though Robin was sure she wasn't any more convinced than he was. He dragged himself out of the water and stealthily made his way to the computer consol. After shutting down the camera's temporarily he waved for Mirra to follow him. It would look like a mechanical failure when the techs came to fix it. Mirra pulled herself onto the bay floor and glanced around like she had heard something. "We have only a few moments before these come back online. They; whoever they are, will be sending techs and medics for this mess in here and I don't want to be around when they show up." Mirra nodded and followed after Robin, but he noticed she was still glancing around looking for something. Mirra snatched a key card off the card clipped to the vest of the guard that had been standing guard in front of the door.

Together they entered the maze of tunnels. Some of the pathways were barely wider than an arm's length, probably service hallways. They slid down a ladder and turned left. Mirra had taken the lead, acting as their compass. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask how she knew which way to go, but a small part of him whispered they were going the right way. It was a strange feeling in the back of his mind. The closer they got to their goal the more at ease he felt. Suddenly they were standing in front of giant barred door. Mirra tried the key card but the door buzzed angrily at them. Apparently this room was restricted even to the guards.

"She's here." Mirra whispered as she laid her hand over the door. Robin's heart skipped a beat as he went to the control panel. He plugged in his computer and got to work cracking the door open. It took several tries before the door finally opened with a hiss. Inside was a large circular room. The whole room smelled of a hospital and had Robin's nose wrinkling in distaste. Which wasn't too far from the truth. There was a line of machines and monitors about half way in that made a ring around the center of the room, with only small pathways in between. At the very center of the room was a steal table like what you would find in a morgue. On the table was a body. Tubes, hoses, and wires went from the body to the various machines that surrounded it.

Robin hadn't even been able to get a good look at the person before Mirra bolted forward. Robin didn't even consider warning her that this could be a trap. He was caught in a daze as he walked forward, like a sleep walker. His eyes were fixed solely on the woman on the table. Her hair was a long blonde curtain that fanned out around her head. Someone seemed to have been regularly brushing, cleaning, and trimming her hair. They had also cleaned, trimmed, and painted both her fingernails and toenails. She wore a white sundress that made Robin think she looked like a sleeping bride. A chill went down his spine. Someone was treating her like their own personal doll. Memories nagged at the back of his mind. Warnings that he couldn't remember urging him to hurry and get Jessie out of here. At odds with the doll like picture were thick leather straps used to restrain her ankles, wrists, and waist down.

Robin stepped up to the table and gently pressed two fingers to her neck. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding when he felt the strong steady beat of her pulse. He supposed the machines around him had already told him that, but it was always best to double check for one's self. Then he began gently undoing the straps, removing the wires, carefully removing the tubes, finally pulling the breathing mask off her face. Once all that was set aside he dug around in his utility belt until he pulled out a small syringe with a pale liquid like substances in it. Robin injected it right into the girl's vein on the inside of her arm.

"What is that?" Mirra asked, concern hedging in her voice. He couldn't blame her after all the worrying she had done for over her sister.

"It's something Batman cooked up. It's a mixture of adrenaline and a few other-." Jessie's eyes flashed open and a gasp moved up her throat and out her lips, sounding like a old bellows that hadn't been worked in years. Her eyes stared out unseeing for a moment until her gaze fell on Robin. When her bright greens eyes locked with his eyes. It was like the flood gates had opened in his mind.


	21. Chapter 21

Memory after memory sped past his eyes like a movie someone had pushed the fast forward button on. The memories crowded in his vision blocking out everything else. Him and Jessie talking, having fun, sparing, or just goofing off. Robin blushed as a memory of Jessie flipped him on his back and pinned him to the matt passed by. Then suddenly the memories slowed to closer to real time. Robin was worried, Jessie was avoiding him since she had a migraine the day before. She had said it was nothing, but he knew the character she had been wearing could see the future. Now Jessie was avoiding him like the plague and wasn't speaking to him.

He walked up the steps to her home and knocked on the door. He heard her mother yell to come in. So he walked in and was about to yell hi when Alexandra came down the stairs. The look on her face was enough to confirm his suspicions.

"Where is she?" Alexandra's face cleared as if she remembered she was supposed to keep a secret. She pressed her lips together and shrugged.

"She didn't tell me where she was going, just that she needed to stop something from happening." Robin could feel his anger beginning to spike.

"And you didn't go with her?" Alexandra looked down at the floor. He supposed that wasn't fair of him to say, but he wasn't in the mood to be generous. She obviously had wanted to go with Jessie.

"She didn't want me to go with." Not didn't let.

"What did she see?"

"I don't know-." Robin growled

"Don't lie. I know she told you." It was stretching the truth, but he was sure that Jessie would have told her sister. They were too close for her not to. Alexandra squared her shoulders and stood up a little straighter. She turned around and walked back up stairs. A few moments later their mother walked into the room smiling at him.

"Oh, Richard, I didn't realize you were coming over. Jessie left a few minutes ago." That snapped him out of his daze.

"Do you know where she went?" It was a slim chance. She made a face as she thought about it and finally she shook her head no.

"She said she had to go check something out. She was walking towards the library. She will probably be back in a few hours." Robin nodded his thanks and ran out the door. Something told him Jessie wouldn't be back in a few hours. From what Jessie had explained about the way visions worked he knew the future was like a giant tree. Many different paths branch off in different directions. Little things can change the course, but usually there were two or three paths that were most likely. Sometimes telling someone could change their future, because by trying to avoid it we become our own undoing. On the other hand withholding information could also cause a person to walk into trouble. Robin was turning onto the main road towards the library and considering what he knew when he heard tires screech right next to him. He turned in time to see a big man jump out of a big black van and swing something at him. Pain exploded behind his eyes and then he knew no more.

When he jolted back to awareness it was to the sound of clinking chains. His head pounded like the time he had been in a nasty fight and got clipped across the temple. His arms and wrists throbbed even worse as the chains holding him up bit into his skin. Robin glanced around at the warehouse he was being kept in. There was nothing around him but an empty cell. He looked down at himself to discover that his shirt had been removed along with his shoes and anything resembling a weapon. They had even taken the ear piece out so he couldn't contact anyone for help. He was only just considering what this could mean when three men came in through the only door, all of them were wearing masks. This did not bode well for him.

Two of the newcomers carried a bundle between them. Robin's heart stopped when he saw Jessie's face, her hair had dried blood in it. She had fought and fought hard if the limps the two men carrying had were anything to go by. The leader walked over to the cell and opened the door. The other two men hurriedly threw their burden into the cell. The leader cursed at them his voice distorted.

"Be fucking careful you morons. I don't want her hurt anymore." One of the men snorted in disgust as the leader adjusted Jessie's limp body so she would be more comfortable. Robin noticed Jessie's hands were bound in strange gloves that glowed an sickly green color.

"What have you done with Jessie?" Robin snarled pulling on the chains that bound him. The leader brushed Jessie's hair from her face. The man carefully positioned her arms so they weren't under her. After pulling her legs out so she lay straight and flat on her back he addressed Robin.

"I see you are finally awake. Good, I was going to be bored otherwise." That seemed to be the other two's queue because they left, coming back a short time later with a rolling cart with knives, pliers, and other implements of torture, including a cattle prod. The leader waved the men off and they left room, but Robin doubted they had gone too far. The leader went the cart and looked over the different tools.

"What do you want?" The man hummed to himself and picked up the cattle prod testing it. Sparks flew from the end and he waved it close to Robin's exposed chest, trying to elicit a response of fear from him. Robin refused to give the creep the satisfaction of seeing him flinch.

"I want you to suffer and die." He jammed the weapon against Robin's flesh and sent the shock running through his body. Robin jerked this way and that gritting his teeth against the pain. After several more jabs with the cattle prod Robin's tormentor seemed to have gotten bored of it. He discarded the weapon on the ground and went for another. Bastard.

"Why take Jessie?" Robin huffed. The weight of his body being hung by his wrists was slowly crushing his lungs making it harder to breath. On top of that his chest was littered with welts from being electrocuted over and over. The man didn't look up from his selection when he answered.

"She is here because she is mine." Robin's stomach did an odd flip. He could only imagine what this creep would do to her. He wouldn't let that happen, he would sooner die. The man came back over carrying a large knife. It glinted wickedly in the gloom of the warehouse. As the man approached Robin kicked up at his attacker's face and the hand that held the weapon.

"One shouldn't talk about a lady like that." His bare foot connected with the boney wrist that sent the knife flying from his hand and skittering across the floor until it clanged against the bars of Jessie's cage. Robin tried desperately to wrap his legs around the man's neck. But this one seemed to know his tricks. He kept an arm up to prevent Robin from strangling him and eventually broke away from Robin's hold gasping for breath. "She belongs to no one." Robin huffed. The other two men came in both wielding metal bats. Robin swore and tried dragging himself up the chain, but he was too tired to manage getting farther than a foot. The leader chuckled now his voice modulator was malfunctioning making his voice sound mechanical and wrapped.

"Planning on running and leaving her to me after all?" he sneered. Robin growled from where he was hanging.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you no means no-?" Robin gasped as the floor slid out from underneath him, the chain dropped him down, and he was dunked into a pool of icy water. He tried to swim up to the surface but the weight of the chains dragged him down. He struggle and thrashed against the weight but only succeeded in tiring himself further. No, he couldn't die here. Jessie was counting on him to survive. His lungs burned from lack of air and his body felt heavy. He couldn't hold out any longer. Water poured into his lungs choking him. Finally he was dragged into a peaceful unconsciousness.

When he awoke again he was in the same room only now he smelled something that made his nose twitch. He opened his right but his left seemed swollen shut. Looking down he found he was now sporting dozens of bruises the size of baseballs and larger. It also looked like someone had tried to dissect him. Knife wounds covered his skin until he looked like a cut of meat rather than a human being. Blood coated every inch of exposed skin and had dried. Something else was sliding down his blood stained body, it smelt strangely like oil and stung when it oozed into his cuts and in his eyes.

"You're awake, good, I was thinking we killed you already." The was a clicking sound as the man opened a Zippo lighter. "But I think now we can clip your wings permanently." Robin's blood went cold. That threat sounded familiar, his brain was so fuzzy he couldn't think of who. His tormentor flicked the lighter open again. Robin however noticed something his tormentor had not, Jessie was awake. She was struggling to her feet like a drunk, her eyes fixed on Robin. She staggered to the cell bars and slumped into them. Had they drugged her? His tormentor lit the lighter and tossed it to Robin.

Pain exploded as his whole body went up in flames. His tormentor laughed as Robin withered and scream. Another scream joined his. Jessie was sobbing as she banged her arms against the bars with enough force to break her bones.

"No! Stop it!" Jessie threw her whole body at the door. Suddenly the pain was pushed aside and Robin noticed Jessie was no longer Jessie. "Please, I'll give you anything." Robin saw a look of triumph in the leader's eyes under his mask. One of the other two guards approached Jessie with what looked like a gun. He raised it and fired at her. A dart stuck her in the neck and she dropped to the floor. Flames licked up Robin, but he could no longer feel any pain instead he felt as if he were drifting far from his body. A hand stopped him from going too far.

Robin now stood in a vast place far from warehouse far from the warehouse. A starry night stretched above him as far as the eye could see and was also reflected in the surface of the water, which he was standing on. Was this death? He remembered Jessie's tale with Anna. This was the threshold of death; soon he would find eternal rest. He looked into the eyes of the woman in front of him. Anna was the spitting image of Jessie only slight differences could be seen. For one her hair was white as snow instead of coppery blond, for another she was a few inches taller than Jessie.

"What are you doing Anna?" She held his hand tightly as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go. Looking down at his burnt flesh he wondered how close to the truth that was.

"I cannot let you go on."

"You have no choice." A sad smile spread across her face. No, not sad, she looked regretfully at him like Jessie did after she had had the vision that had landed them here.

"Actually I do." She yanked him to her and kissed him. Robin tried to pull away but Anna was surprisingly stronger. When she let him stumble away she said, "A life for a life, I gladly pay the price." Robin watched as a line of purple connected him to Anna like an umbilical cord. He could only watch as Anna wasted away, his wounds transferring to her body. Tugging on the cord did no good, as it was made of death magic and only Anna could wield that kind of magic.

"I won't let you do this. Jessie will-." Her color drained from her then her skin had long fissures formed over her skin. Purple light glowed from the wounds. Then her fingers crumbled into dust and the cracks spread to cover her whole body.

"She will survive. Have faith in her." Anna smiled at him just as she turned to dust. When Robin woke he lay on the floor in a warehouse and had no idea how on earth he had gotten there. Then the memories faded.


	22. Chapter 22

The first thing Robin saw when his mind cleared was Jessie's relieved smile, like she had been worrying over him.

"I'm glad you are okay." She looked to her sister "Both of you." Mirra fell away to reveal Alexandra underneath. She pulled her older sister into a sitting position and hugged her tightly; tears springing in her eyes.

"You idiot." Alexandra muttered. Jessie started laughing then instantly regretted it, her laughter turned into breathless wheezing. Her whole body shook as she coughed. Robin looked his friend up and down and was troubled by what he saw. All of Jessie's muscles looked like they had wasted away completely with lack of use. Her bones were starting to poke out of her drawn skin. When she finally stopped wheezing she looked strained and sweat dotted her brows.

"We have to go." she panted, she winced and placed a hand over her side. "I, Galen, he has changed. I didn't recognize him at first, I'm so sorry. He, Isaac-." She started coughing and wheezing again. Alexandra looked at Robin confused. She didn't know anyone by the name of Galen or Isaac. Robin's blood turned to ice in his veins. They weren't the names of real people, he remembered Galen and Isaac were both characters from one of Jessie's stories. Isaac was the lover of a main character while Galen was her best friend. However Isaac became jealous of time his love spent with Galen and eventually ended up betraying and accidentally murdering his love when he attempted to murder Galen. Robin remembered only one was based on a real person.

He was a person Robin had met before. The boy was only a year older than him and a friend of Jessie's. Robin's first impression of the boy was that he was a snake. Sweet words and nice gestures when Jessie was around, but when she turned her back he was crude and almost possessive of her. Robin was now kicking himself for not saying something sooner. Ten times over the fool he was. Robin hurriedly scooped up Jessie and gently cradled her against his chest. She was in no shape to walk on her own. He turned to Alexandra,

"Will you be able to change into another character?" Alexandra nodded.

"Several." She pulled a small handful of tarot cards from the pouch at her belt. "These I should be able to hold their forms longer because they have less power." She selected the card second from the top and slipped the rest back into her bag. After only a second the transformation began. Alexandra's body began to shrink and her face bubbled up a little to make her look a little bit chubby and younger. Her hair coiled up into tight bouncy curls and her irises faded then turned a deep blue. Her wet suit tugged this way and that until it stretched out become a billowing dress. It was pink with white lace accenting it. The overall effect made her looked like she had stepped off the cover of a English romance novel. She curtsied and inclined her head.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance-" She looked like she was going to say something else but this time Alexandra's voice snapped,

"Get on with it! Something doesn't feel right and I'd like to be gone very soon." The girl looked horrified and like she was going to comment on how rude Alexandra was being. Alexandra cut her off before she could even say a word. "We have company." A dark chuckle echoed around the room drawing everyone's eyes to the observation windows near the top of the room.

"I thought I sensed something. Muse, why did you have to bring the rodent with you? I would have let you go." Jessie's eyes; Robin noticed, looked like flames danced in them. She was practically shaking with anger as her gaze found the young man in the observation room. Robin squinted and could now make out the features of the boy in the window. He was tall, well-muscled but not bulky like most men, and handsome. His dark hair was slicked back with way too much hair gel. A black leather jacket hung off him and his pants were very lose fitting. No doubt he had weapons hidden in his clothes.

"Gabriel? You killed my sister? Why?" Gabriel shook his head no.

"I didn't." he said it as if offended by the very thought. Then a vicious smile spread across his face twisting his beautiful features into something nasty. "I killed him." The hair on the back of Robin's neck rose at these words. He remembered when he had kicked at his captors face and damaged his voice modulator, Gabriel's voice had penetrated the waves of pain at one point when the device completely stopped working. This man loved Jessie or as close to love as he was capable of, how could he do this to her? Surely he would know what hurting her friends would do to any relationship they had? Something else suddenly occurred to Robin.

"Why did you let Jessie save me?" Gabriel snorted.

"I didn't. She escaped from the cell. By the time we realized, she was already performing the ritual and there was nothing we could do that wouldn't risk permanently injuring her or her mind." Small mercies Robin thought bitterly.

"Why not kill me afterwards." Gabriel cackled and sound had Robin's blood turning ice cold. Jessie smirked mirthlessly, obviously he had considered it and she had out down him.

"I figured the memory of what Jessie did for you would drive you mad." Well he wasn't wrong, Robin thought. It was only the distance and the fact he now knew Jessie would be okay that guilt hadn't crippled him when he found out. A small voice in his mind added that he wasn't trying to kill Gabriel either. "But," he looked to Jessie his features softening ever so slightly. "Clever woman was a step ahead of me all along." He sighed regretfully. "I'll have to remedy my earlier mistake now." Jessie drew herself up in Robin's arms and he glanced down in time to see a pale light spreading over her body. When she spoke her voice was firm and strong, but only a whisper of sound.

"Let go." Robin didn't even question her, simply set her down on her feet. The light radiated outward and swallowed everyone. It even shattered the window above and captured Gabriel. When the light retreated back into Jessie they were no longer in the underwater base. They were in her mind. Broken branches lay strewn across the floor like the severed arms of some great being. The doors of Jessie's mind still hung broken and bruised. They seemed to glare accusingly at Gabriel. The crystal in the center of the room glowed a bright bloody red swirled with black lines.


	23. Chapter 23

"Was this supposed to impress me, Jessie-?"

"Shut up." Snapped Jessie, her voice was hard and cold. Gabriel looked almost stunned by her anger. Now that Robin thought about it he couldn't think of a time where Jessie had ever spoken to anyone like that. Gabriel opened his mouth to speak but Jessie cut him off before he could speak. "What is the common thread that connects all my stories?" She then gestured to all the fractured doors. Gabriel blinked at her as if he couldn't understand a word she said. Alexandra stepped out of the shadows and stood beside her sister. Robin's mouth dropped open at the costume she wore. Alexandra looked like a Greek goddess straight out the old paintings.

"The protection of family or those perceived as family, and bonds that tie people together even if they are wildly different and have no common blood." Robin thought about it and thought there was something missing to the description.

"And the removal of threats to those family and bonds." he added softly. Jessie nodded coldly glaring at Gabriel. Ice moved through Robin's veins, Jessie may not be a cold blooded killer but some of her characters would kill if provoked and Gabriel sure as hell had done that. She lifted her hands up and a gust of wind kicked up. Bits and pieces from the broken doors were picked up and flung around. The wind's whine rose to a howl that was filled with betrayal, rage, and sorrow. Robin had to cover his face to keep debris from his eyes. A voice cried out before the wind snatched the sound away.

"Jessie!" It was Gabriel's voice that had just barely managed to pierce the tempest. Then the wind died as suddenly as it had reared up. Glancing around Robin realized Jessie was no longer Jessie. Coppery gold hair cascaded down the woman's back flowing over large feathered wings. The wings were easily twice her size. Each feather was silver in color and each feather was banded in red like fresh war paint made from blood.

Movement behind Robin caught his attention. Turning his head he gaped at the beautiful brown feathered wings that sprouted from his own back. Miraculously his shirt was still intact. A look in Gabriel's direction revealed he too had feathered wings, but instead of Galen's stark white wings they were Isaac's wings; white with black stripes.

"Why am I Isaac?" Gabriel demanded, his nostrils flaring when he noted Robin's wings.

"You no longer represent Galen to Bard." Jessie's character; Robin searched his memories for her name, Nicky he finally remembered, answered coolly.

"You can't do that!" snapped Gabriel for all the worlds sounding like a spoiled child who had his favorite toy taken away.

"Can't I?" Nicky asked coldly. "I am the holder of Bard, writer of these tales. You have betrayed Bard in the same way Isaac betrayed me." Nicky pulled the sword from her belt making a shing sound as it slid free of the sheath. She caught the sharp edge of the weapon on her palm sliding it down her open hand and drawing blood. "With blood you were given a home and power and with blood I banish you." Gabriel screamed in pain and clutched at his right hand. A brand, much like the one Robin had seen on his own hand, now glowed like fire on Gabriel's right hand. The dragon grabbed the swords and carved itself off his skin. "You were my friend and now and forever more you are my enemy." Blood dripped down Gabriel's hand and the dragon wrapped its body around Gabriel's wrist and began carving letters into the book. Traitor. Then the dragon released Gabriel with a roar and glided to Nicky's shoulder were it watched him with a hostile expression.

All but three of the doors were flung open. Robin briefly wondered if they had been repaired in the wind storm. A woman stepped out of each newly repaired door. All of them brandished various kinds of weapons. "I banish you from my mind, heart, and soul." Gabriel looked like he would rush from the nearest door, but the line of women closed him in.

The roof above them came alive, branches and vines twined down and around Gabriel. They jerked his wings back, painfully stretching them to their full length and exposing all of his feathers. The more Gabriel thrashed against their hold the more they twined around his body and limbs. Bard's mind had not forgotten how he had invaded it. Now it sought retribution for the damage he had inflicted upon her. The first woman step up in front of Gabriel.

"You and all of your line are no longer welcome here." Nicky finished her curse and the woman that stood before Gabriel quickly grabbed a handful of feathers and sheared them off with the serrated hunting knife she produced from her belt. His scream was like a wounded wild animal that echoed around the chamber and reached a point that it actually hurt Robin's ears. He put a hand on Nicky's shoulder.

"You can't torture him." She cocked her head to the side.

"You misunderstand Sam," Robin was about to say that wasn't his name, but Nicky continued before he could say anything. "I am not torturing him, neither are any of them." Another scream echoed off the walls and jarred Robin's nerves. "Each of those feathers represent a character from a story he stole from Bard. The only reason they hurt is because he does not want to give them up and he clings tightly to them."

"So the pain is just his imagination?" demanded Robin highly doubting her words.

"In a way, yes." Robin was about to argue further when Nicky asked, "Would you let a thief keep gold he had stolen?"

"No, but I wouldn't break is wrists to take it from him either." Robin may hate Gabriel for what he had done but he would not condone torture.

"If I leave even one character he will have access to Bard's mind to do this again. I will not allow that and there is no other way to reclaim what he has taken." Robin bit his lip. He didn't believe this was right, but he couldn't leave Jessie vulnerable to Gabriel either.

"Will there be permanent damage?"

"No, he will be fine except for the brand. That will be a permanent mark and it will hurt, but it certainly won't kill him." she thought for a moment. "I guess you could call this a break up of sorts. His feelings will be hurt along with his pride, but no other damage will be done." Robin blinked at this. He had been under the impression that Jessie hadn't loved Gabriel as anything more than a friend. Now he wasn't entirely sure. Nicky guessed where his thoughts had gone. "Isaac-," she corrected herself. "Gabriel as you know him, was not the one who held Bard's affection. I think that's part of the reason he did this, because she choose you, not him."

"So what now?"

"Depends on what you mean by that. If you mean what happens between you and Bard or what happens right after this?"

"Both." Nicky looked back to Gabriel as another woman cut away a feather with a sharp sickle. His screams had died to wailing moans.

"He will be angry, his pride is hurt, Bard has chosen you at every step of the way. He will attack, I think. I'm unsure if he will attack you or us, but make no mistake we are hanging on by a thread. The power we are using is borrowed and will soon run out. We will be a burden to you and Muse."

"And the other?" Nicky smiled mischievously at him.

"That is between you and Bard." Robin snorted.

"Of course it is." Nicky's smile faded as a small child walked up to Gabriel. She couldn't have been older than six years old. She approached cautiously and Nicky stepped up to help her.

"I'm fine." the girl told her in a small voice. She looked up to the lone feather that hung from the top of Gabriel's broken and bleeding wings. The feather was well out of the girls reach that Robin wondered how she planned to get it. The door she had come out of swung open and creature walked out. Robin gaped as the alien from the movie 'Alien vs Predator' walked out and stood obediently by this small child like a well trained dog. She patted it's elongated dome shaped head affectionately. The monster wrapped it's long armored tail around the girl's waist and lifted her gently up to the feather. The girl plucked the feather by hanging on it with all her weight. After she was set back down both the girl and Alien walked back to their door, closing it softly behind them.

"Jessie has a lot of explaining to do." he muttered under his breath. Nicky's smile didn't reach her eyes this time. She slowly walked around to stand behind Gabriel. She placed her hand at the base of his wings.

"Do not try to hold onto them." she whispered. Then she ripped the wings from his body. Gabriel shuttered, but this time he made no sound. Nicky staggered back and then seemed to split into two separate women. The first was Nicky, the second was Jessie. Jessie's body trembled and her legs gave out from underneath her. Nicky caught her around the waist and hauled her up with one arm while holding her bloody prize in the other. Robin stepped up beside the two women and pulled Jessie's arm around his shoulders holding her up until she was able to stand on her own two feet.

"All you had to do was ask." he reprimanded her. Jessie laughed weakly at this.

"I seem to recall saying the same thing to you once upon a time." Robin grinned at his friend, that she had, he thought.


	24. Chapter 24

Nicky interrupted their banters by asking,

"What do you want to do with him?" The smile faded from Jessie's lips as her gaze turned to her former friend. Then she nodded at the door next to Nicky's. Robin took his time to inspect the artwork etched into the wood surface. A picture of Galen and Nicky was depicted in the front. All around them were various weapons, but the largest and most detailed was a staff. Gabriel's weapon of choice, he remembered. Like Robin's own door there were words written like a border around the picture, but these he couldn't read because they were shifting constantly. The image of Galen standing side by side to Nicky shifted suddenly. Instead it depicted Isaac standing over Nicky's body with a bloody knife in his hand.

"I want to ensure he no longer has a foot hold in my mind and can never enter it again." Gabriel raised his head at this. A mocking smile spread across his face.

"You aren't strong enough to destroy our connection, Jessie." Jessie stared at Gabriel for a long time and Robin wondered briefly if she was mourning the loss of a friendship, even if he had been a little worm. Her expression hardened yet she smiled sweetly.

"You are right. I do not have the strength to destroy our connection alone." Gabriel smiled triumphantly until a sly smile spread across Jessie's face and Nicky chuckled evilly. It was the smile Robin remembered from sparing with Jessie, when he thought he had won then suddenly found himself pinned to the mat. "But wait, I'm not alone, am I?" Now Gabriel finally looked at Robin. There was a deep almost seething hatred in his eyes making him look insane. Nicky cleared the small space between her and Gabriel before Robin could even think to stop her. She struck him across the face with a enough force for his head to snap back. Before either Jessie or Robin could protest the other girl's actions she pushed a sword into both Jessie and Robin's hands.

"I think you'll need those to destroy the door." Robin hefted the sword and felt Sam's memories of it flood him. He swung the weapon deftly in his hands. The weapon, a spirit weapon hummed with pride and seemed eager to fight for him, for Nicky. _Queen_, the sword's voice buzzed as if admonishing him for using her name. Robin swung the sword at the door savoring the sound of metal biting deep into the wood.

Gabriel had tortured him. He kidnapped Jessie. Made her kill a part of herself. He forced Alexandra into insanity. His actions caused their mother and father to forget Jessie and that would haunt them for the rest of their life. His selfishness had wasted Jessie to almost nothing. With each thought his anger flared brighter like a flame that was fanned. The sword's eagerness was increased with his anger and blue fire ran down the blade and devoured the splinters of wood it touched. Jessie's sword also added damage to door but to much less extent. Robin got the impression his sword was worried about Jessie, she was swinging to weakly. _What was wrong with her?_ It wondered. Robin's anger spiked. Jessie couldn't even lift her weapon properly because of what Gabriel had done to her. _Finish it._ Robin told the sword. The flames jumped eagerly to the door and began to consume it.

"The Keeper's flame will take care of the rest of the work." Nicky told them, carefully taking back the weapons she had given them. Jessie and Robin glanced at Gabriel. Already color was fading from his body and clothes and his skin was turning transparent. Alexandra stepped out of the shadows and went to her own door.

"I'll make sure you aren't interpreted." Then she left through her door. Jessie waited until Gabriel's arms and legs had disappeared before turning to Robin. He was about to burst with questions.

"Ask your questions, he will not hear us."

"Why?" Robin blurted out. A small teasing smile curved up Jessie's lips and her eyebrows arched in a way Robin knew well.

"Care to elaborate on that question?"

"Why did you choose me? I understand not choosing him," he nodded to Gabriel. "But not me."As much as he hated to admit it, it was clear Jessie had cared for Gabriel even if just a friend, so what had she seen in him. Jessie scratched the back of her head thoughtfully.

"Is that what I did?" She ran her hand through her hair, a nervous habit. "I don't think I would have ever chosen Gabriel to be anything other than a friend. I always sensed that there was another side to him that I didn't see and he didn't show. Secrets like that are very dangerous even more so if you have feelings for the person. I could see it only when he interacted with you and it frightened me. You on the other hand," a soft smile touched her lips. "You were honest, you told me you had things you wanted to keep to yourself, you told me that there were things you would not tell me, and I respected that and you. You had a way about you that I couldn't help being drawn to you." Warmth colored Robin's cheeks and he ducked his head to keep from showing his embracement.

"That's it?" Robin asked trying to distract her, Jessie chuckled knowingly and pretended not to notice her friend's flushed cheeks, knowing full well her own cheeks were colored red with blush.

"There are more reasons, but at the moment I can't think of how to put my thoughts into words." Robin nodded accepting her answer.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you I felt something for you or tell you that I was a prisoner?"

"The second." Robin had known for a while, when he had had his memories, that Jessie had harbored feelings for him that were more than friendship. He hadn't been able to work up the courage to talk to her about it or how he felt, and apparently neither had she.

"Once I had escaped in order to save you I was kept heavily sedated. I could fight back with a few characters, but after a while of being drugged the drugs seemed to build up in my system. I got lost in my own mind I guess you could say. They were using too much because I was causing too much trouble for them. It was a struggle for Gabriel to extract the characters, even if he did they were deeply flawed and would break apart when tested on people. Many went completely insane the first year. I finally realized I could help them, but doing so also drained me. Then when I did finally build up my strength I could barely touch your mind. So I waited until I could finally touch your mind."

"Then you were able to get into my dreams. Why not tell me then? I was starting to remember the more time I spent with you." Jessie ran her hand through her hair again.

"You are a good man, Robin. I know you would have taken my sacrifice very personally. The guilt and anger you would have felt would have changed you into someone neither of us would recognize."

"You can't know that for sure." Robin refuted even though a small voice in the back of his mind said she was correct. Jessie shrugged as if what Robin was saying was of no consequence.

"It was not a price I was willing to risk you paying. Better to have the man I love hate me for protecting him, than to have the love of a man who only resembles the man I love." The whole room shuddered making the vines and branches that had been holding Gabriel retreated back to their original position. Jessie made a dejected sigh. "Looks like our time is almost up."

"What do you mean?" Jessie took a deep breath and let it out slowly as if trying to forestall her answer.

"I'm awake on borrowed time Robin. Muse." she paused and corrected herself. "Alexandra is allowing me to siphon off some of her energy to help me stay awake and fend off Gabriel. But now she needs her strength to protect us." It was this moment that Robin looked down and noticed the crystal that Jessie had been leaning up against was now inching its way up and around her legs. It already incased her feet all the way up to her ankles. He jumped toward her and was going to pull her out of the crystal's grasp but she caught his hands instead and shook her head no. "I need to stay here a little while longer." When Robin looked like he would protest she continued. "I'm still very broken Dick. This," she patted the crystal gently. "Will protect and heal me, so there's no need to worry; I will be fine. However now it is time for you to return to your own mind."

Robin turned to his door that would take him back to his own mind. It was already open just a hair, but Robin was more concerned with the carvings that were etched into the surface. Particularly the two depictions of himself that he did not recognize. One was a bold masked crusader a little bit older and a little bit taller than he was now, but the other was so blurry he could hardly make heads or tails of it.

"One last question before I go." Jessie inclined her head regally like a queen giving her knight permission to speak.

"Who am I here? Why am I blurry in this picture?" Jessie chuckled and the crystal slid up her shins reaching closer to her knees.

"That is two questions." She held up her hand to silence the protest that she could already see forming on the tip of his tongue. "It is blurry because that future is not assured. The future is made of such an intricate web of possible paths. Each choice send ripples out and changing the paths to come. In saying this I'm afraid your first question will remain unanswered, my friends."

"But-!"

"Go!" Jessie yelled. The door banged the rest of the way open as if a gust of wind had come bursting through it. Then Robin got the impression of a warm hand on his back pushing him through the door; Jessie's joyous laughter following him all the way back into his own mind. He opened his eyes just in time to see a delicate parasol stop a long metal staff from breaking his head open on the floor.

"About time. I thought you two might be making out." Alexandra remarked in a snarky tone.


	25. Chapter 25

Robin briefly wondered what that would be like to make out in someone's mind. Jessie's amused laughter had him blushing.

_You'll never know if you don't survive._ Robin rolled out danger's way and drew his own staff. He circled around to Gabriel's back. If Gabriel disengaged Alexandra, she would swiftly knock him out. But if he didn't Robin would get the ending blow. Robin was ready to coolly knock Gabriel unconscious, then he saw Jessie. She lay sprawled across the floor behind Alexandra completely defenseless. Anger from earlier rekindled like a fire doused with kerosene. Robin swung viciously at the back of his enemy a nasty part of him hoping to break his foe's spine.

At first it seemed that Gabriel slipped. His staff slid off the umbrella Alexandra was wielding. Then the staff flicked under the umbrella as Gabriel dropped and slid away. The force of Gabriel's attack behind Alexandra's attack sent her flying into Robin. Robin side stepped to avoid the collision and lunged for Gabriel. Gabriel brought his staff up and blocked Robin's attack.

"Take Jessie to the sub!" Thankfully neither Alexandra nor the character she was wearing argued with him. Gabriel glared at him like he wanted nothing more than his death. Alexandra scooped up Jessie and made her way out the way they had come in. Gabriel glanced at them as they went, making a feral inhuman growl at Robin when they disappeared behind the door.

"Now we can settle this properly." Robin laughed without mirth at the mere notion of the statement.

"Jessie is not a prize to be won, she has made her decision. Not that I blame her, I am far more charming." It probably wasn't wise to egg him on, but Robin wasn't in the mood for doing what was wise; he wanted revenge. He stepped back just in time to avoid a spring loaded razor blade in the end of Gabriel's staff. He swung the weapon side to side in an attempt at gutting Robin. Robin danced out of harms away.

"I guess I'll just have to make her choice invalid." Robin chuckled darkly and kicked at Gabriel's leg trying to hamstring him. He tripped and grunted in pain. Robin went to bring down his staff down on the other boys shoulder, knowing it would break his collarbone and probably knock him out from the shear pain of the blow. Gabriel threw himself to the right just barely avoiding the blow. The staff chipped the tile floor on impact and rebounded up a little. Robin smiled at the look of fear on the other boys. They both knew Robin was the stronger of the two of them.

Gabriel looked warily at Robin and tried to shoot a covert glance at the door. Gauging whether he could make it and avoid getting struck in the back by Robin. He bolted. Not at the door but for his weapon. Robin swung his staff aiming to hamstring his opponent, but Gabriel leaped over it with ease this time. He grabbed his weapon and made a beeline for the door. He vaulted over a computer system and knocked it back to make it difficult for Robin to follow. Robin made a disgusted snort as jumped the pile of debris and followed after Gabriel's fleeing form. A boomerang in his hand before he even reached the door. He threw the weapon at his enemy's exposed back. The boomerang exploded revealing weighted ropes that would wind around Gabriel and trip him. Just when they were a hair's breadth from him, Gabriel planted his staff down like a pole vaulter would, pushing down on his weapon and launching himself up in the air, and avoided capture. The ropes wrapped harmlessly around his staff. With a quick flick of his wrist, Gabriel sent them flying back at Robin. Robin dodged the projectile only to be knocked sideways into a wall by a small explosion.

Ears ringing and head pounding, Robin climbed shakily to his feet. That was a close one he thought to himself. Gabriel must have thrown a tiny bomb at him with his own weapon. His vision was tinted blue and he tried to blink it away until he realized it was a thin barrier running over his entire body like thin flexible suit of armor. The shield faded and Jessie's voice whispered across his mind,

_Be a little more careful next time, please. I didn't save you so you could die being unobservant._

_You were making that shield?_

_Yes, unfortunately it couldn't protect you from the force of knocking your head against the barrier itself. _Her words sounded oddly slurred like she might be drunk. Apparently she caught that thought and swore at him, he could feel the pounding headache in her mind as well as his own. He gently touched the lump already forming on the side of his head. Ouch. _You'd better hurry, I think he has caught up to us._ Those words set a panic in his mind and spurred him forward. Tearing through the tunnels, ducking around guards or techs he came across. He could deal with them later, right now he had more important things to worry about. Most of them didn't even bother with him. For the most part they were too busy rushing to the areas that had been ruptured by the sea creatures to really notice him. Robin scrambled up the ladder and bolted down the last corridor leading into the bay.

Gabriel and Alexandra were once more dueling. Fragile parcel against the heavy steel staff. Jessie was laying in one of the few dry spots behind Alexandra.

"Your form is terrible." chided Alexandra's character. Her shoulders back as she looked down on the much taller boy and managed to look regal doing it too. "Shoulders back, feet apart. You won't even be challenge with such poor balance." She snapped at him like a drill instructor to a poor student. Gabriel growled at her and lunged forward swinging his weapon wildly. Alexandra's character was like the wind the way she glided out of the weapon's way with great grace and ease. She went in for a jab and at the last moment a knife sprang out from the tip of her weapon. Gabriel's eyes went wide as he stumbled back barely avoiding have his eye removed. The girl flipped the parcel over in her hand and swept the hooked end down, catching Gabriel's ankle. She gave a swift tug and he landed flat on his butt. Flipping her weapon back in her hand she quickly open the fragile lace parcel and twisted the handle so flexible blades extended along the edge of the lace. She waved it over Gabriel so he couldn't rise then swiftly pinned him to the floor with a heeled boot.

Alexandra's character smiled wickedly down at her captive who glared back at her with rage. Robin felt a cold joy surge through him. He hoped she slit his thro-, he stopped mid thought and remembered Jessie's words to him.

"Better to have the man I love hate me for protecting him, than the love of a man who resembles the man I love."Already he was changing into something that was far from what he was. No, Jessie was right. He was surprised when the thought didn't prompt a response from his friend.

"Don't kill him." The words tasted bitter in his mouth. The girl Alexandra wore snorted very inequity and transferred her boot from Gabriel's chest to his neck.

"I have no intention of sullying my dress in this vermin's blood, you can rest assured of that." She twisted the handle of her parcel again until it clicked. The flicked the weapon in front of Gabriel's face. The knife slid back inside the parcel and a small cloud of green gas blasted Gabriel in the face. He tried to hold his breath but Alexandra swung her weapon down on his gut causing him to gasp and breath in a lung full of the gas. It took only moments for his eyes to slid shut and his body to go limp. She waited a minute before lifting her foot from his neck. "Restrain him if you will."

Robin pulled a special pair of handcuffs from his utility belt; they would inhibit any powers that Gabriel had. He collected Gabriel's staff and found a mechanism for shrinking it into itself. A souvenir for Wally. After second thought he pulled out another pair of cuffs and put them around Gabriel's ankles.


	26. Chapter 26

He was about to heave his prisoner over his shoulder when Alexandra's character stopped him.

"You should carry Bard, I'll take him." There was an evil glint in her eyes. Robin had no doubt she would watch Gabriel for the slightest sign he was trying to escape and the punishment would be swift and brutal; with her taking pleasure in every moment. He nodded wordlessly and went over to Jessie. His com link crackled and Aqualad's voice cracked in his ear,

"Robin, come in Robin." Robin clicked the com to allow Aqualad to hear him.

"I'm here. What's up." He prayed nothing had gone wrong on their end. Out of the two groups, Aqualad's team's mission had been the most difficult.

"All of the assassins have been detained. The few that had powers lost them a few minutes ago, it was simply a matter of rounding them up after that."

"Anyone hurt?" he held his breath for the answer.

"A few bruises here and there, but nothing more than that." Robin let out a sigh of relief.

"Anything else?" He prayed there wasn't, but intuition said that something was off about this whole thing.

"Not really, it's odd though, other than the assassins there was nothing and no one else here. No food, nothing that would allow them to receive orders, no transportation to get them out of here, not even weapons."

"You're right that does sound off. Do you think this is a set up?"

"Very possible. It's also possible that once transformed the person behind this can send commands to their minds, but even so this just seems too clean."

"We did take down the one harvesting the characters."

"What about Alexandra's sister?" There was a hopeful pause that seemed to echoed by everyone on Aqualad's team.

"We have her, but we will need a med team." Aqualad informed him that doctors were on standby and the bio ship was heading to their location with some backup.

Alexandra or her character, Robin wasn't sure which, lead the way to the submarine's control deck. Along the way she found a long coil of rope which she used to tie Gabriel's neck, shoulders, wrists, and waist to a pole in the center of the room.

"A bit excessive, don't you think?"

"He has admitted to kidnapping Bard, torturing, drugging Bard, attempting to kill you, and he has probably done a few other nasty things like the attempted murder of two UN officials. The better question is, do you want to risk him getting lose after all he has done, while Bard is defenseless? I really don't."

"No, I don't want that." He looked to Bard who he had laid on a bench. She was pale and resembled a skeleton wrapped in skin. Would she be able to fight again? Or walk? How long would these things take? He reached for Jessie with his mind but found she was silent. "Do you think she will be alright?" The girl shrugged.

"I cannot say, I am no doctor." Robin pulled off his cloak and laid it over Jessie to keep her warm. He made sure she was as comfortable as he could make her before he went to the controls. After only a few seconds the craft was rumbling to life. "You do know how to drive these under water carriages, correct?" As she asked this Robin backed the submarine into the rear wall. The entire ship shook and the impact caused an ear splitting sound of metal scraping against metal. She glared at him as she pulled herself back into her chair. Robin smiled sheepishly at her before turning the ship around and taking them through the door. It took them less time to reach the surface than it had taken them to get down to the base.

The Bio ship was waiting for them above the water. When Robin directed the sub to breach the surface of the water, then the bio ship landed on the larger craft, and the bay doors opened. Robin made his way quickly to the ladder. Unfortunately it is much harder getting up a ladder with a heavy burden than it is going down with one. Megan came flying out of her ship and landed above him.

"Need a hand?"

"That would be nice." Megan floated them up and set them down on the outside of the sub. Five other people were disembarking from the bio ship. One wore a blue armored suit that reminded him of a beetle. Bumblebee flew down and enlarged to her normal size next to the beetle. Batgirl and Wonder Girl walked out together. They were followed by a bright green hawk. Robin smiled as Garf took human form. So Megan's blood did have some side effects. Garf or Beast Boy as he was now known thumbed a finger at Alexandra who was carrying Gabriel.

"Who's he? And who beat the stuffing out of him." Robin glanced coldly at the older boy.

"His name is Gabriel Creen. He's the reason for this mess." Robin noted a particularly nasty looking black eye that had swelled up already, that hadn't been there earlier. "I believe-."

"Anya." Alexandra's character did a polite curtsy and a slight bow all while holding Gabriel over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Anyone who treats a lady the way this filth did they should be thoroughly thrashed before being locked up." She dropped Gabriel's dead weight to the ground and smoothed out her skirts before adding, "I would have given him that thrashing but I just purchased this dress and I don't want to sully it in his blood." Wonder Girl smiled approvingly at her, while Batgirl and Bumblebee exchanged worried glances. Robin could clearly see what they were thinking; this one is nuts.

"Who is she?" Batgirl asked nodding at Jessie, whom Robin still cradled in his arms.

"A friend who nearly lost their life to my carelessness." Megan looked like she would protest the statement, but Robin pressed on. "There are still people down there." Robin warned them. "Get them rounded up and into cells. Then sweep the place and see if you can find anything we don't already know. This all seems way to easy for my liking." Gabriel didn't have this kind of money. He then added as an afterthought. "Be careful down there. Most of the techs seemed to carry tazers, but the guards carry guns and knives." There was no way Gabriel could just pay for an underwater fortress complete with minions, doctors, equipment, and laboratory doubling as a hospital. Who would give a him this much money and what did they get out of this mess? The only Gabriel wanted was Jessie, and him dead, he amended. Which must mean the assassins were for the dark hand behind all of this. Robin's blood went cold. Jessie could very easily still be in danger thanks to Gabriel.

Quickly Robin brought Jessie onto the bio ship. He strapped her into one of the seats and Megan and Anya came in behind him. Anya dropped Gabriel on the floor then proceeded to truss him up like a turkey. She even removed his socks, shoes and jacket. Megan raised her eyebrow at the other girl.

"This man's crimes include murder, attempted murder, torture, kidnapping, and possibly rape." The last was a slap across Robin's face. Of course he knew it was possible, but to have it voiced out loud made his anger flare back to life. Anya swiftly stepped between Robin and Gabriel pointing her parcel at Robin.

"Don't." She pointed her weapon at the seat farthest from Gabriel. "I will ensure he doesn't move. You watch over Bard." Robin grit his teeth but turned and sat down in the seat. Megan looked between the two of them before taking her seat. Megan closed the bay doors then steered the ship back to the mountain. He spent the entire trip clenching and unclenching his fists in an attempt to control his anger.

"Five minutes out." Robin got up and unbuckled Jessie from the seat. Once they landed the bay doors opened and he carried her out to the doctors who were waiting with a stretcher. The doctors whisked Jessie away to the med center. Anya dragged Gabriel down the ramp; a hood over his head. He didn't stay to watch the other boy be dragged off. Instead he went into the mountain and headed for the med center. He stood in the doorway watching as the doctors checked over Jessie. Some time had passed before soft footsteps echoed behind him. He turned to see Alexandra back in control of her body and striding towards him.

"What's the verdict?" Robin had spoken to one of the doctors briefly after their assessment. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. Alexandra seemed to know it wasn't good. She was biting her lip nervously.

"She's in a coma. They aren't sure why, but they did say her muscles are regenerating. Again they don't know why. However they did say she wasn't-." he swallowed hard. Alexandra looked at him, understanding in her eyes. She sighed in relief. Neither of them wanted to voice that thought even though Anya already had.

"Did they say how long she would be like this?" He shook his head no. "And I don't suppose she said either?"

"She didn't." Alexandra looked a little crestfallen, but not surprised. A harsh clanging from her jacket pocket prevented her from saying anything further. She pulled her phone out and glanced at the caller ID on the screen. Her face paled.

"I have to take this. It's my mom."


	27. Chapter 27

Robin looked to where Jessie was laid out on an operating table. So you returned your parents memories he thought to her. There was no response and he knew there wouldn't be one until she was completely healed. He turned to leave and came face to face with Batman.

"He's awake." Robin blinked and then it registered who Batman was talking about. The cold anger from earlier seeped back into his bones. He struggled to control it under Batman's watchful gaze. "I want you to have a chat with him. Miss Maritain will be waiting for you." Robin nodded his understanding and stalked off to the holding cells. On the way he got a call from Batgirl.

"Hey Robin."

"What did you find?" Maybe he could use something to twist Gabriel's arm and force him to give up anyone else involved.

"Most of the base was set up to accommodate those people living there. Nothing that tells us who else could be behind this." She hesitated.

"I sense a but." There usually was one.

"Yes." She paused. "What we did find was in the make shift hospital." Robin swallowed. "We found a couple of chemicals." She rattled them off. Robin's stomach bottomed out. "They used for preserving and harvesting eggs." She paused "Robin?"

"I'm alright, continue." He wasn't alright but he needed to know.

"There is also stuff for cloning. It looks like someone attempted to clone Jessie first." He could hear Batgirl flipping through papers. "They didn't have any success. The clones couldn't hold any one form. Apparently it was a direct result of the drugs used to speed up the growth. None of them could handle the stress of switching between characters. The stress of having more than one mind in them broke them. That project was scrapped after the first few months of no success. It looks like they were going to begin removing her eggs tomorrow, and they were going to try and breed more people like Jessie." The air in whooshed out of Robin's lungs. Gabriel would do this? "That's not all. It seems Jessie was giving them a lot of trouble. Some of her characters even managed to free her once. It looks like if they had success with the breeding, they were planning on removing Jessie's mind from her body." Robin's knees nearly gave out under him.

They planned to do this to Jessie? How could anyone possibly go along with this? He stopped and thought about it. There was no way Gabriel knew about this. Gabriel may have hated him, but he cared for Jessie in his own sick and twisted way. Maybe Gabriel would give up the other person to save Jessie. Robin stood up straighter and quickly moved on to the holding cells. He found the one Gabriel was in. Megan was standing next to the window and looking in on Gabriel angrily. The man in question was sitting in a steel chair that was welded to the floor. His hands were cuffed together and a chain went down to a ring on the floor. Even his feet were secured to the chair.

"He has some pretty strong telepathic abilities, but the cuffs do inhibit that for the most part. I can protect you from any power he still has. He does seem very weak though." Robin smiled viciously at the thought. That meant Jessie had hurt him.

"Don't let him see you when we go in. I want him to let his guard down."

"You think you can get him to let his guard down?"

"I think I piss him off, and I have information that should shake him up. You can probably pick the answers out of his mind when that happens." Megan nodded, but she looked worried, Robin ignored the look of concern. He turned away from her and opened the door to the cell. Leaving the door open wide enough for Megan to float invisibly past him. She hovered behind Gabriel and waited.

Gabriel made a sound that was between a growl and a grunt of distain. His chains clanked against the chair when he rubbed the brand on wrist. It was still a raw red, blood had dried on the back of his hand and was starting to flake off.

"Come to gloat?" Robin laughed, but it didn't reach his eyes. There were a lot of things he wanted to do to Gabriel, gloating over him was actually pretty far down the list.

"No, I'm here to ask questions." Gabriel smirked back at him.

"I want a lawyer." Robin clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"Funny, I don't remember international terrorists being given lawyers." Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Robin, confusion edging in his face.

"What do you mean?" Robin grabbed the remote control for the TV off the window sill. He clicked the power button and brought up the clip of the first attacks on the UN officials. He let clip play all the way through before pausing it.

"We know for a fact you harvested characters from Jessie and implanted them onto other people. They then, as you can see attacked UN workers on site. Which is roughly the equivalent for attacking the world. Hence the title International terrorist." Megan's voice broke into his thoughts.

_This is very strange. He remembers doing this, but he has no idea why he did it. He doesn't even want to._

"We simply want to know who gave you all the money and targeted those people." Gabriel leaned back in his chair looking very relaxed and rolled his shoulder like he was getting a cramp out.

"Even if I knew I wouldn't-."

"Did they tell you they planned on killing her body and transplanting her mind into a machine?" The room was deathly quiet. Gabriel suddenly looked unsure of himself. He looked like he was wondering if Robin was trying to trick him.

"What?"

"The team was combing over that makeshift hospital of yours." Robin listed off the drugs and Gabriel went pale. He obviously knew what a few of them were used for. "They were going to basically kill her." Whoever else was behind this clearly hadn't told Gabriel this.

_When did we find this?_ Robin shared the information Batgirl had shared with him. He could feel Megan's mounting horror as she looked over the information. Gabriel frowned.

"First they tried cloning her, when that didn't work they planned on extracting her eggs and breeding more people like her. Somehow I doubt you were going to be on list of potential fathers." venom seeped into his tone. Gabriel stared blankly at the floor trying to come to terms with what Robin was saying. He scrubbed his face desperately trying to control the storm of emotions that had to exploding through him.

"It doesn't matter, he wiped my memories of him."

"He?" It was a start. Gabriel nodded and reclined father in his chair. He refused to look at Robin. Sighing he looked over his shoulder to where Megan was floating invisibly.

"Hey you." Robin knew Megan's eyes were wide open even without seeing her. Only Simon had ever been able to sense her.

_What do you want me to do, Robin?_

_Show yourself, he really does know you're there._ Megan let her camouflage slip and eyed the human boy.

"You can recover my memories right?" Megan was very uncomfortable. This would be very different than restoring Alexandra's mind. "You are more powerful than him, I can feel it."


	28. Chapter 28

"A pleasure to meet the elusive Mr. Grayson." Nightwing set his drink down and looked up at the woman who had come to stand beside him. Her hair drew his attention; it was like a living flame with the colors that streaked through it; reds, oranges, gold and even strands of blue or green in some places. Brilliant emerald eyes stared at him from under an ornate flame mask. His mouth wet dry as his gaze went down. The dress, much like the rest of her, looked like fire. The v of her dress plunged way down and even opened to form a circle around her belly button. Silk layers gave enticing views of long legs and strappy heels. Oh god, he thought, what if he had to get up an accept the award in a few minutes. He prayed that he wouldn't have to go up just yet he would be stiff as a board and everyone would know why.

"A pleasure, Madam?" His voice came out a little hoarse. She smiled an amused smile like she was having a private joke.

"Aurora." She extended a gloved hand and shook his hand. He took it and shook her hand. That name rang a dim bell. But where had he heard it?

"Have we met before?" She smiled again like there was something obvious he was missing.

"Once or twice through a," she paused thoughtfully. "friend, but very briefly." Nightwing tried to think back to all the parties he had been too. Yet he couldn't recall this woman ever being at any function he had gone to with Bruce. And he would have remembered this woman. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Aurora slid gracefully into the chair beside him and crossed her legs, flashing a nice view of long shapely leg.

"Oh? Is that friend here?" She smiled wickedly.

"Not at the moment. We had a long journey, so I think she is resting."

"Are you staying here with your friend?"

"Yes." the smile that pulled her lips was all seduction. "Would you care to join me?" Nightwing thought about the request. That in and of itself was telling. Something didn't seem right. This woman had picked him out by name and was deliberately and plainly trying to seduce him. A small part of him admitted she had succeeded. What was her game?

"What about your friend?"

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She knows me well enough." Nightwing nodded and steered the conversation away from the barely veiled illusion to sex. They chatted about various things, but whenever the conversation turned towards Aurora or any part of her past or family, the questions were deftly side stepped. At one point she made a slight slip, when referring to her mother, though she almost said creator instead. It was then that the award ceremony began. Both of them were forced to pay attention as different authors and their books were called. Jessie's book was called up twice. He stood and graciously accepted both on her behalf. On his way back he spotted Amy and went to drop off the awards with her.

"Well done. It would been pulling teeth to get Jessie to do that." Nightwing smiled, he remembered his friend's aversion with standing in the spot light and speaking even if she was only saying thank you. "I noticed you found the pretty woman cosplaying as a flame."

"Actually I wanted to know if you knew who she was?" Amy shrugged.

"Never met her before, heck I've never heard of her before. I was hoping you knew her."

"I don't know her." Yet now he was suspicious that that might not be true.

"Neither had I until Jessie asked me to put her name on the list and give the woman her invitation." Then it clicked.

"Jessie invited her?" Amy nodded. He wasn't sure if he was pissed or happy.

"Yeah why?"

"It turns out I do know her after all." He got up and made his way back to the table where Aurora was lounging in her chair. He extended an arm to her.

"I believe my duty is done for this night." She raised a perfect eyebrow and gave him a smile that should have knocked the wind out of him. It didn't. "Lead the way." She rose and he couldn't help but notice she looked even more like fire, even the temperature of the air around her was rising. Aurora deftly lead him to the elevators and away from the crowd that was forming. Almost like they couldn't see them.

The elevator swept them up to the top floor. Then they were on the move again. Down the hallway to the last room. Aurora drew a key card from her dress, something that would have had any other man on their knees. She swiped it then dragged him into the room. Swiftly Nightwing stepped in front of her to block her path to the bed. A hand skimmed up her cheek and took her mask off. Then he reached back and undid his own.

"I want to see your face when you are Jessie again," he whispered, "Aurora AynaSvek." Aurora looked completely unfazed. She smiled broadly at him.

"What gave me away?" Nightwing smiled amused.

"It took me longer than it should have, but when you said your creator or mother dreamt you up; I suspected. Amy told me Jessie had a ticket set aside for you. That's when I remembered reading a bit of your story. Aurora born of fire and light. You were supposed to be everything Jessie wasn't."

"What do you mean supposed to? I am everything she isn't." Nightwing shook his head no.

"Jessie seemed to think that she was unfeminine. She made you what she thought every man's fantasy was. But I always liked Jessie's way of being bold and seductive better." Aurora snorted,

"Brawling in the sand half naked?" Nightwing nodded. He was amazed that one of Jessie's characters could view her in such a condescending and disparaging way as Aurora did, but then she had been created in Jessie's self consciousness about such aspects of herself, so maybe it wasn't that strange.

"I liked it." he said firmly. Aurora snorted again.

"Maybe she doesn't-" her voice broke off and became Jessie's. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-." She broke off just as emerald eyes turned gold and looked down at the floor. The color in her hair washed away leaving only her natural hair color. Jessie shrank half an inch then seemed to be normal again. She may have been smaller than Aurora but the dress still clung to her like a second a skin.

"A friend once told me, it's alright to lie to a stranger, but not yourself. You'll only end up hurting yourself." She sucked in a deep breath trying to calm the trembling in her hands. When she couldn't, she slipped them behind her back. "However you also said I'd know if you ever lied to me too." She froze. "Some people consider what you do stalking you know." She winced like he slapped her. "Don't think I didn't notice all those lucky happen stances where I came out of things alive that I shouldn't."

"I think I should leave." Fight or flight was a strong reaction. Jessie always seemed to choose fight unless it him, then it could go either way. Looking in to her eyes he was pretty sure he knew how and why she would react. She refused look at him and when she did turn to leave he put his arm up to block her. Now she looked up at him, completely forgetting her fear and now she was angry. Anger was better than fear. "I will throw you out of my way." He smiled mischievously at her.

"And I'll take you with me when you send me flying into that bed." She ducked her head but not before he saw the blush creeping down her face and neck. He put a hand under her chin and made her look up at him. "For once in your life, tell me straight out, what do you want?" She stared at him for a long time. He almost thought she was going to run when she whispered,

"You." One simple word. He did think, just bent down the few scant inches that separated them and kissed her. She froze under him then hesitantly reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed for what could have been seconds or minutes. When they finally came up for air he asked,

"How long are you renting this room?" he asked breathlessly.

"Until tomorrow afternoon."

"Good." he scooped her up and brought her over to the bed.


	29. Chapter 29

Megan didn't say anything. Both of them had recognized Simon and knew if he had wanted he could get into Jessie's mind. It would have cost him greatly, maybe even all his strength, but it could be done. So why had he gone to the trouble of using Gabriel? Robin turned and left the room pondering all he knew. When he shut the door behind him he came face to face with Batman.

"Checking in on me?" He wasn't sure if his anger and annoyance came through in his tone, but at the moment he didn't care. Desperately he just wanted to hit something, if only to rid himself of the feeling of being helpless. Batman observed his apprentice silently for a long moment before saying,

"No, Jessie's mother and father have been flown in to the private hospital that will be taking care of Jessie until she is better. A security force is being posted outside her room, and a Zeta tube has been linked to the hospital." Robin blinked if he didn't know any better it would almost sound like an apology from Batman. Batman passed him a note with the code for the hospital room on it. "I also want you to recruit the sisters. They would be a great help." At that moment Robin was too tired to be angry. Part of him knew Batman was trying to look out for the world, but another part of him knew that Jessie and Alexandra had sacrificed more than their fair share for the world already. Robin took the slip of paper and walked off to the Zeta tubes in a daze. It wasn't until he walked into someone that he snapped out of his trance. Zatanna was looking at him with concern.

"Oh, Robin, where are you going?" Robin clutched the paper tighter and Zatanna's gaze dropped to it. There was a look in her eyes, Robin knew she knew what it was he carried.

"Batman asked me to-." he let the sentence drift off. This was all too much in one day. He just wanted to not feel anymore.

"Would you like me to go with you?" there was a hopeful note in her voice, but Robin shook his head no.

"I think this is something I need to do on my own." Her hurt was like a knife twisting in an already painful wound. He wished he could comfort her as she stepped back. Robin prayed he would be able to fix this later, but now he had work to do. He stepped into the Zeta tube typed in the code and gave his ID. Bright light lashed around him and suddenly he was standing in a closet in a hospital room. People were speaking softly out in the hall just outside the room. Robin paused at the door with his hand on the knob. Jessie's father was talking to the doctor about her condition. Robin wondered if he had a right to be here, much less ask what he had come here to ask.

"Robin." a soft voice broke into his thoughts. The woman who spoke was just inside the room. How had she known he was here? The boom tubes were supposed to be inconspicuous on this end. Robin swallowed and pushed the door open to face Jessie's mother who was sitting in the only comfortable chair in the room. He could clearly see the resemblance to her daughters. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying and her hair seemed to have gathered some silver since the last time he had seen her.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll come back ano-." she smiled and waved him to come stand by her.

"You aren't disturbing us, Dick." Robin stopped and stared at this woman. Her guess of him being Robin was easier to understand, but how had she known his real name? How did she recognize him?

"How-?"

"Do I know your name?" she finished for him. A sad sort of smile on her lips. "It's an odd tale, one I wonder if you will believe. Much of it is guess work, but I'm sure your young Martian friend has already guessed most of it." Mrs. Dansforth gestured for him to sit in the plastic chair beside her.

"I'd like to hear the story." Robin replied honestly. Mrs. Dansforth nodded.

"I figured you would. By now you probably noticed my line only produces a female child every generation." Robin nodded. When he had first started looking into Alexandra as the possible link to the stories he had checked her family history. Their mothers line consisted of only single females, none of the fathers until Alexandra and Jessie's father had been recorded. "There is, or was a reason for this. Many centuries ago there were two young girls that were best friends, people commented that they looked like they were twins; though they were not. One night they snuck out of their beds and went to watch the stars together. As the story goes they were visited by an angel who became so enamored with the girls that he blessed them with some of his divine power." Mrs. Dansforth had an amused sort of look on her face. Robin couldn't help but think what kind of gift the "angel" had given them. "But he had to return to the heavens so he left the girls with written advice about their futures. The girls went home and didn't speak of what had happened."

"The next day both girls were sent to the train station so they could go find good husbands or some such nonsense, and stay with their extended families. Their goodbyes were so silly they knocked over each other's bags in the process. Then they went their separate ways."

"What advice did he give the girls?" The smile on her lips told Robin she was proud he asked that question in particular.

"One claimed that the girl should beware men because they would bring ruin to her family. The other claimed that power beyond imagining would be granted to her descendants. Care to guess which one my ancestor received?"

"Beware of men."

"Correct. But I'm forgetting some things. This is just my own guess work, but I assume the angel was no angel, but actually an alien of some kind. I also believe the girl's bags were switched when they embraced by the train. Which means?" she prompted.

"Your family will inherit unimaginable power."

"Will, or already has?" Robin blinked. Alexandra and Jessie. Their power was well beyond that of anything he had ever seen. Jessie alone was a walking split personality disorder who could switch personalities at will. She had died once and endured it. Alexandra could become anyone she choose to and harness their power for herself. If anyone could claim that then they truly were most powerful. "Each and every one of the women of my family have been gifted. Control over elements, communing with animals, or dead, shape changers, master inventors, supreme fighters, even a witch or two. I myself always had a sense of both the future and the past. So I would know the identity of the man who would save my daughters." Robin felt shame at that moment. He hadn't protected her daughters, he was partly to blame for the pain they were in. When he looked to Jessie's mother he knew she would not hear a word he said when he tried to deny helping Jessie. Another thought occurred to Robin.

"What happened to the other girl's family?"

"What indeed, have you not guessed the identity of her descendent? He too has played a role in my daughters' lives."

"Gabriel." The name slipped out without him even realizing, and of course it was him. Who else could it have been? It explained the almost natural connection Jessie and him had had. The smile on Mrs. Dansforth's lips was oddly reminiscent of Jessie.

"Yes." This seemed like just the kind of story Jessie would love to write with all its twists and turns.

"So, did you know all of this would happen?" Mrs. Dansforth looked to her sleeping daughter. Worry was etched into every line on her face.

"No, I knew she would be taken from me and I knew she would be returned to me, but I didn't no know who had taken her until today. I didn't know she would be returned to me like this." She sucked in a shuddering breath. Robin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"She swore to me that she would get better." With those words it looked like a huge weight had been taken off her chest.

"Now that you've helped me with my burden, what is it that is weighing on you, Robin?" Robin swallowed. He didn't want to do this.

"The young justice would like to recruit your daughters?" She looked at him curiously.

"And you think I'm going to be mad about that?" She laughed outright. That certainly wasn't the response he had been expecting.

"Yes?" She smiled gently at him.

"If my daughters want to do so, that is their choice. Ask them." She glanced at the clock behind her and realized it was close to three in the morning. "Oh my, it's late and you will probably be needing your sleep. You should head home and get some rest." Robin nodded and headed to go then, turned back looking briefly at Jessie.

"Could you-?"

"I think when she wakes, you will know long before me." Robin smiled and looked down at the floor to hide his embracement then quickly left after thanking Mrs. Dansforth.


	30. Chapter 30

Later that night when everyone had gone home from the hospital except the night shift, the zeta tube brought someone else to the room. Zatanna eased the door open. All the nurses were bustling around other rooms that needed their attention and the guards were posted outside the room. No one would enter here unless an alarm was raised. She stepped towards the foot off the bed. Jessie wasn't anything like she had expected. The girl was pretty, or she had been before she became so emaciated. Smile lines were etched around her lips; she smiled a lot. Her fingers and hair seemed abnormally well kept in comparison to the rest of her, like someone had cared for them while she slept. A shiver ran down her spine. Her nose was slightly crooked, probably from a fight. Oddly enough it didn't detract from her beauty. Scars healed long before she had even been taken dotted her exposed skin. Jessie was a fighter, much like Robin.

Zatanna took a deep steadying breath then let it out slowly. She had come here for a reason. She opened her mouth to utter a spell that would draw out the girl in front of her to answer her questions. The spell didn't even leave her tongue when a voice stopped her.

"Don't bother. Your magic will not draw out the one sleeping here." Startled Zatanna took a step back. There was no one else in the room. Just a creeping feeling of being watched and a thin mist that gathered almost protectively around Jessie's still form.

"Who's there?" Zatanna demanded. Her voice strong as she glanced around the room looking for the speaker. Another spell already forming on her lips; a spell for revealing and binding. She would protect Jessie. "What do you want with Jessie?" The voice sighed in a resigned and bored sort of way that gave Zatanna pause.

"I could ask you the same, young magician." The mist crept up the bed and gathered at Jessie's feet. Slowly it swirled together taking the form of a martin. Its beady gray eyes glowed in the darkness, watching her. She wondered briefly if this was some form of spirit or if it was one of Jessie's creations. "I don't have a name, not yet anyway. I am however an Enenera. For now that is what I am called by the others." The martin seemed to stretch and morph, becoming solid as it did so. It became a human woman. Her hair was a true absence of color; black. Her striking smoky gray eyes still glowed with their own light. Finally her clothes took shape and color of a white and purple kimono. Zatanna watched uneasily as the hem of her clothes seemed to change from cloth to mist and back again.

"And what is an Enenera?"

"Beings of smoke and mist. Though I am a bit more than the traditional Enenera." Zatanna studied the woman's face, clearly she was flesh and blood, but a moment ago she had been nothing but scattered water molecules.

"And what do you want with Jessie?" Zatanna had no idea how to fight someone who could turn to mist and she knew she wouldn't get very far if she had to carry Jessie's dead weight, but there was no way she would leave her alone either.

"I want to know why you have come to my host's room in the dead of night, sneaking around like a thief. Your answer will decide your fate and then I will go back to my watch." Zatanna furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Host?" Watch?

"Host, creator, and friend." Oh, well, this just got awkward. Zatanna rubbed her arm suddenly not sure what to say for a moment. Then she squared her shoulders and said,

"I want to talk with Jessie."

"You can't." Enenera replied bluntly. Zatanna blinked and was about to offer something if Enenera would allow her to speak with Jessie. But what could she offer a being made of mist? What would it even want? Enenera looked at her clearly bored. "No one, not even those who are part of her; like myself, will be able to speak with Bard until she wakes." Zatanna felt deflated. She had come here for nothing then. "However," She looked up to Enenera, hope flaring back to life. "If you are willing, I can take you to those who know Bard well enough to answer your question in her stead." It was something.

"Please?" The woman nodded and pointed to the only comfortable chair in the room.

"You'll want to make yourself comfortable; this could take a while knowing them." Zatanna didn't ask who they were, she figured she would find out soon enough. She sat down in the chair and waited. The bottom half the woman's body changed to mist crawling its way to Zatanna. It twined around her body and coiled around her. Energy skated across her making her hair stand up on end. She had to fight the urge to dispel the mist when it reached her neck. It felt like the mist was going to strangle her. The woman's hand clamped over her mouth preventing the spell from leaving her lips. "This is the easiest way to get your answers without opening your heart and mind to me, but if it goes wrong you could die." Zatanna swallowed the spell allowed the mist to travel the rest of the way up her body.

Once her eyes were completely covered she could feel her body and the hospital room completely fall away. Her essence was lifted from her body and was carried to an empty space. There were no walls, no ceiling, or even floors. She just hovered in empty space. After a moment she began to wonder if this was a trap, until a plain door appeared in front of her. It was a solid wood door and it had a simple wrought iron handle. There was no embellishments on the surface except for a the word welcome etched in the door at eye level.

"Are you going to stare at it all day, or are you going to walk in?" Enenera's voice echoed around the space, but she was nowhere to be seen. Zatanna took a deep breath before gripping the handle and pushing the door open. What she found surprised her.

She had stepped into a large perfectly circular room. The entire wall was covered in doors that could only be described as works of art. The amount of work and detail that had gone into each one was unimaginable, or not she thought. Branches were intertwined across the top of the room making the ceiling. Some branches hung lower and were packed with candles all dripping in wax, but none of it seemed to drop on the floor. What was most odd was the collection of beings that were gathered in the center of the room.

There were two giant wolves speaking to each other much like humans would. One was solid black while the other had a rich red and white coat. Several elf like beauties dressed in ethereal gowns chatted with a girl that had angelic wings. Two heavy armored warriors were arm wrestling by a statue that looked like Jessie. Then in the far corner a girl with strange tattoos dealt cards out to a woman dressed in military gear, another girl dressed like a pirate with wild brown hair, a young girl in a school uniform, and a woman and an excessive amount of guns strapped to her body. And so many other strange beings; all of which were female.

"Enenera said we had a guest." Zatanna jumped at the voice so close to her. She looked down to see a cloaked woman sat by her feet, flute in her hand. Zatanna struggled not to stare at the woman. Her hood had slipped down to reveal cat like ears that twitched this way and that at any odd sound. A tail swished back and forth right by Zatanna's feet. She thanked heavens she hadn't stepped on it. That would not be a good first impression.

"Um." What does someone even say to all of this?

"You had a question for Bard." The cat woman prompted gently clearly understanding Zatanna's confusion at the situation she had found herself in. Everyone else stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Zatanna curiously.

"Yes," Zatanna replied slowly very aware of all the eyes and ears focused on her. "I was told someone here could answer my questions." All the beings exchanged looks with each other. The cat woman smiled knowingly and nodded.

"We," she gestured to everyone around her. "Are Bard's creations. I believe you would call us her characters. Nicky," The angelic woman waved and made her way to them. "Zev," The black wolf morphed quickly, but painfully into a blonde girl who bowed and swiftly made her way to the group, "And I can probably answer your questions in Bard's stead. I'm Haku, by the way." Zatanna shook the hand that was offered before sitting down with the other girls.

"I wanted to talk about Robin." Haku smiled knowingly, like she had expected as much. The other two exchanged confused looks. Haku leaned over to them and whispered,

"Sam, and Ethan would be your equivalent to Robin." Both nodded their understanding.

"You want to know what was and possibly is between them?" Haku guessed. Zatanna shook her head no, blush rising to her cheeks.

"No." She could clearly see what had been between them. Alexandra had showed her a memory on that.

"Or will Bard pursue Robin when she wakes?" Zatanna nodded not trusting herself to speak. Haku and the other two girls considered their answers very carefully. "We are the oldest and most developed of Bard's creations. Therefore the decisions we make will be very similar to what she would choose. Similar, but not the same." Haku warned.

"In this case, I think it is safe to say Bard loves Robin. She will look to pursue him when she wakes." Nicky added.

"We couldn't say how she would go about it, but she would be respectful of you if you and him are together. However, that respect will have to go both ways. If you are jealous and try to destroy her friendship with Robin, she would react in kind. She values all her friends." Zev offered.

"I'll bet five on the magician girl." Zatanna turned to see that several more people had come and everyone had scooted closer to listen in. Haku frowned at the speaker, a bird like woman in the back of the crowd.

"I'll take that bet!" A warrior woman near the front said. "Haku, be the holder." Haku scrubbed a hand across her temples with impatience, but she drew out two small bags. One she wrote Bard on the other she wrote Zatanna. Everyone suddenly crowded in on them tossing odd coins that resembled poker chips into each bag. Everyone signed their names and put an amount next the name of who they were betting on. Zatanna had been surprised to find her and Bard were roughly even in who thought which girl would win. She whispered to Zev,

"Why isn't everyone betting on Jessie? " Zev snorted and laughed at this.

"You're gorgeous and not currently comatose. Plus you aren't scarred up like Bard is."

"That's a bit harsh, isn't she your creator?" Now everyone snickered, confusing her further. Haku explained gently.

"Bard is a wonderful person, we love her truly, but a lot of us were born in pain and suffering. Sometimes it's nice to remind her of that."

"So why aren't you three voting?" she asked Haku, Nicky, and Zev.

"Haku isn't aloud to because she can catch glimpses of the future. I don't gamble unless it's against Isaac, and Zev doesn't because she like us can understand the door." she gestured to a door. Zatanna looked at it and noticed there was an image of Robin engraved into it. "That is his personal door. In order to do so he had to give up a piece of himself and take in a piece of Bard. You came through a guest one." She gestured to a plain door.

"What are these blurry images?" she tried looking closer at the door but the pictures shifted, making it impossible to figure out what they were.

"What might be." was all Haku said.

"Why don't you join us in our drinking?" A lady knight asked, a large bottle of something sweet smelling in one hand and a stack of cups in the other. Zatanna was about to refuse when she added, "Non alcoholic of course." Zatanna finally nodded her agreement and ended up staying another two hours talking with the different characters.


	31. Chapter 31

When Zatanna returned to the mountain the next morning she felt exhausted and more than a little hung over. Maybe matching magic against Haku hadn't been the wisest move, but it had sure been interesting. Instead of words to direct the magic she used a string of hand signs. She was greatly limited to what she could do, being she could only use elemental forces, but those forces were strong. She yawned as she walked into the main room.

"Long night?" Zatanna turned to see Megan floating into the room. The girl's whole body seemed to drupe. Dark circles were under her eyes like nasty bruises. What had she been doing all night? Then Zatanna noticed the file under the other girl's arm.

"Sorta." nodding at the file Zatanna asked, "What is that?" Megan glanced down at it like she suddenly remembered it was there.

"Oh this? You'll see when everyone else gets here." It took a few minutes, but the rest of the team filed in groups shortly after Zatanna and Megan. Kaldu'ahn and Wally came in talking about when the next time they would spar. Super Boy and wolf strolled in next. Most of the new arrivals came together. Artemis and Bumblebee came in followed by Robin, Batman, and Black Canary. Zatanna looked at Robin and saw he seemed to have gotten as little sleep as Megan. Had they both been up late working on something? Robin stood near Megan when she was about to begin she looked around, "Is Alexandra coming?"

"I think she's visiting her sister with her family." Robin told her. "Go ahead and start, someone can fill her in as need be." She nodded, though clearly was unhappy about it. Taking the remote Robin handed her she clicked a button and a picture of their prisoner popped up on the screen. It might have just been her imagination, but Zatanna was pretty sure Robin glared at the picture.

"This, for those who don't know, is Gabriel Creen. He seems to be a fairly strong telepath. Which it seems he inherited from his mother." A driver's license photo popped up on the screen next to Gabriel's picture. It showed a woman with a very drawn expression, like she had been through a warzone. "She died in a mental health institute five years ago leaving her only son in the care of his father." Zatanna saw out of the corner of her eye Robin wince. "While in Gabriel's mind we discovered that he was not the one originally behind this, it seems his intentions were quite the opposite of what happened. He fell under the control of Simon." Another click and Simon's mug shot appeared on the screen. Wally raised his hand and asked,

"Do we know how a man in Belle Reve Penitently is paying for and organizing kidnapping and assassinations?" Megan looked to Robin for this answer. Robin stepped forward as Megan stepped back.

"I've been tracking the different accounts. Most of them were off shore. All but a few are empty and have been since after Gabriel was captured. That means Simon isn't working alone in all of this mess."

"Is my sister still at risk?" The Zeta tubes flashed announcing Alexandra's arrival. Everyone turned to look at her. Zatanna noticed she seemed far more relaxed than she had been the past few days, perhaps she knew when her sister would wake.

"We have no way of knowing for sure, but Megan theorizes that without Gabriel whoever it is behind this can't get into her head. Which makes her currently useless. They may try and target Gabriel again, but he also no longer has a connection to her." Alexandra seemed to mull this information over in her mind, taking it in slowly before asking,

"Does that mean my sister will no longer be protected and cared for?" Zatanna realized that Jessie's family probably wouldn't be able to afford her care if the Justice League could no longer pay. Robin looked to Batman who had remained quiet and motionless throughout most of the briefing. Batman then spoke directly to Alexandra.

"The Justice League is indebted to you and your sister and will continue to pay for her protection and care. If for some reason the Justice League cannot, I will do so personally." Zatanna watched as something passed between Batman and Alexandra. It was almost as if he were apologizing to her and she forgiving him. Maybe she would ask Robin what that was all about.

"Thank you." Megan cleared her throat to get everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

"There was something else off interest we found." She tapped Gabriel's and his mother's pictures. Under them a picture of their DNA. She highlighted the matching parts. "Gabriel seems to have inherited his power from his mother, making his power stronger than if he had just happened to have it. So when we were sorting around in his memories it struck me as odd how easily Simon had gotten into his mind. Gabriel has naturally strong mind so it shouldn't have been so easy even if he had a slightly open mind." Before anyone could say anything, Megan pulled up Simon's DNA. There were a lot of matches to Mrs. Creen; almost half the markers matched. "They are twins." Everyone stared at the DNA.

"But they look nothing alike." Zatanna stated. In response Robin pulled up several files. and picked one.

"They are an odd case. They are the result of one egg being fertilized by two sperm and then splitting. So a lot of their DNA is the same but a lot is also very different." Robin pulled another file. "It seems Gabriel's mother ran away at age thirteen. Ended up in jail once for petty theft. She got out and started her own PI business, she then married her husband; a lawyer, and started a new firm that dealt with stock trading." He clicked a button. The company was one of the most successful in the world.

"I thought that was run by some blonde woman, Michelle something or other?" asked Wally. Robin shook his head no.

"She's just a figure head of sorts." Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "It's odd, you actually you can't find any mention of Mrs. Creen anywhere and no pictures in company records." He searched until he found a video about the press conference the company was having. Mrs. Creen was standing beside Michelle as she spoke about the company's success. He paused it glancing at the time stamp of the video. His stomach dropped; this took place only two days before she had been admitted to the mental health hospital. She certainly didn't look like she was crazy enough to hang herself in two months.

"What's up Rob?" Wally asked. Robin went back through Gabriel's mothers records to before she moved out, then researched police records. There was a startling number of 911 calls and reports of the father abusing his children, and of Mrs. Creen attempting to harm him in some terrible way. Every time her response was the same, "my brother made me do it." Megan scanned the articles and seemed to come to the same conclusion Robin did.

"He was practicing on his sister." She said horrified and angry. "That's how he got so strong."

"That's why she ran and hid, probably not just her, but Gabriel as well." He looked to Batman. "We are going to have to put Gabriel in protective custody. His uncle is clearly more powerful than him, and we can't risk him getting someone this powerful getting recruited under him." Batman nodded.

"It's already done." The briefing was wrapped up a few minutes later and Zatanna made her way over to Alexandra.

"Have you decided if you are going to join us or not?" Alexandra smiled sadly at Zatanna.

"I have, and no, I don't think I will." She saw the disappointment in Zatanna's eyes and was quick to reassure her. "I'll still help when you guys need it, but I don't think this is the path that was meant for me. Jessie maybe, but not me." Zatanna nodded. This was not a job for everyone.

"So, we can still be friends?" Alexandra smiled at her

"Of course, it seems you've been making friends with Jessie anyway." Zatanna blushed and looked away; she wouldn't ask how she knew. "You are brave to meet with all of them. That can be insane." Zatanna laughed. It had been crazy.

"It was fun." Alexandra nodded.

"Yes, Jessie's head is pretty crazy with that many people sharing the space."

"Not really." Zatanna said after a moment of thought. "You can change into her characters? One of them can see the future. Do you think she can tell how this all ends?" Alexandra thought about it and shook her head no.

"Only time will tell."


	32. Chapter 32

Two years later, after the invasion of the Kroloteans. The Justice league was cleared of charges and the light's plot with the Reach was exposed. All the Reach's destruction devices were destroyed except one. Robin or Nightwing, as he was now called gripped the console watching as Wally was slowly being torn apart by the winter storm in the Arctic. Slowly being shredded by ice. His friend would die. This can't happen. Someone! Anyone help him, his heart and mind cried out in anguish. A sound whispered across his mind.

A yawn?

_No need to shout._ Nightwing spun around but no one was there. It couldn't be. Could it? _Watch who you call an it._

"Jessie?" Disbelief was all he felt as he uttered her name out loud, but who else could it be?

_Nah, I'm the other girl in your head. _There was an amused sort of pause. _That's right Megan is also in your head. Scratch that sarcastic remark._

"Can you help him?" Jessie snorted

_I told you just to ask when you needed help. I wasn't expecting you to wait so long._ Nightwing got the impression of her flexing muscles. _Are you linked to Miss Martian?_

"Yes."

_Be there in a minute._

"Wally doesn't have a minute, neither does the world." Jessie seemed to disconnect from his mind with a snap of power that gave him whiplash. Power erupted behind him, tripping every censor in the mountain. A black and purple swirling mass opened. Two people stepped out of the mass of energy. One had pixie cut hair with strange glowing purple lines going up her body. She wore a skin tight purple and black dress with a belt cinching her waist. Slightly out of place was the brown pouch that hung from her belt. The other was dressed in a long green cloak, flowing white blouse, thick riding pants, a belt that held three different swords hugged her waist, and tall boots finished off the look.

"You're right, they don't have a minute." Jessie threw back the hood on her cloak. "Megan?" She asked out loud and through Robin. The girl's shock radiated through them.

"Jessie! I mean Bard! You're alive, well you-" Jessie gently interrupted the other girl before she could go on a ramble.

"Yes, I need you to link to me and my sister to everyone. Now."

"Right." Nightwing felt Megan reach out through his mind and link up to Alexandra and Jessie. Jessie then touched every member of his team including Arsenal through her connection to Megan.

"I have a way to stop this, but it will come at price." Silence greeted this. "I need to merge with all of you and leave a piece of myself with you. But be warned, once you give me permission to enter your minds I will always have the power to do so. Permission cannot be rescinded afterwards." All but one hesitated. Artemis was the first say boldly,

"Save Wally and I'll give you whatever you need." After that there was nods of agreement and consenting. A few "Do its" sounded and then everyone had given consent. Jessie nodded and looked to Nightwing.

"You have already a piece of me, so there is no need." Nightwing felt a flame ignited within in him and spread through his body. He became like liquid, his body changing in one fluid motion. His hair grew longer and his clothes morphed to long following robes. "Itachi." Nightwing looked back up at Jessie to find a tall cat like woman stood in front of him. Nightwing felt Itachi's mind push at his. He bowed to the woman in front of him.

"Haku, it is good to see you again." She laughed, it was Haku's voice not Jessie's who answered.

"We can reminisce later, now is time to wake up our friends." To herself she said, "Bard I will send you out to the others." Energy crackled across Haku's fingers and Robin felt all of his team and friends cry out in fear as energy licked at them like hunger flames. A crest was etched on the backs of their right hands. Then Jessie's calm voice echoed into the very depths of their beings.

"Peace friends." Their fear; Robin felt, was stilled, but not gone. "Let the character take you. Relax into it and let it carry you. They will settle back down and give control back to you once we are done, I swear. But if you fight them they will be too weak to save anyone." It took a few of Nightwing's team a moment to settle themselves, but when they did a flame started deep in their being. It washed like a river over them, but didn't burn. Actually it energized them like nothing they had ever felt before. As a collective the power rose up and each of them. Each one came face to face with the character before it took over each body.

"Shiva, get us to Wally." The girl in purple nodded. Swirling black mass opened again in the cave. Megan hesitated and asked,

"What about me?" Haku looked to her.

"I need you and my sister to help hold a connection to all of us while we perform the ritual and ensure it is not interrupted. If you or her can't hold al of us together, all of this will fall apart." Haku/Jessie walked through the portal first with Shiva/Alexandra behind her, Itachi/Nightwing followed the two women. Freezing wind and snow battered them when they stepped out onto the stark landscape of the Arctic. The ice storm howled and raged with yellow and red lightning circling around inside of it. Nightwing recognized Wally from inside Itachi.

_Do not worry. Trust Haku. Trust your woman._ Nightwing felt Itachi's reassurance.

_Saving him will come at a cost._ He knew firsthand what that cost could entail. Itachi nodded knowing firsthand the cost of a life.

_There will be a price, but this one won't be as steep. Your friend isn't dead._ The unsaid yet hung in the air between them.

_He's dying. _Nightwing guessed. Itachi nodded. The older man it seemed wouldn't lie to him. Itachi seeing Nightwing's thoughts informed him,

_I can't lie to you. I am part of you right now._ He paused and glanced around. _We are about to begin._ Portals opened up all around the storm. Each person that stepped out of one was dressed similarly to Itachi, but each was their own individual person. They spread out along the perimeter of the quickly expanding storm. At the same moment the lightening in the storm flickered before going out. Wally had stopped running.

"Spread out!" Haku yelled somehow making her voice carry over the storm's howling. Itachi/Nightwing stood beside a few feet to the right.

Shiva/Alexandra extracted a card from the pouch that hung from her belt. She pulled out a card of a woman Nightwing had seen once before. An elf like woman with silver hair, white eyes and even whiter robes.

"Neeha, I want you on this side, Miss Martian take the opposite."

"But Wally-!"

"Do it or the speedster will die." She wove hand signs that even Itachi had never seen before as Megan flew to the opposite side. Chi exploded out of her with the cry "Ice coffin!" A long worm like piece of ice shot from her open palms and dived into the storm; a thin line of chi connecting the worm to Haku. After a moment Haku yanked on the thread with both hands. A large block of ice was ripped from the storms grip. It skidded to a stop between Haku and Itachi. Wally was incased in the ice, a look of shock spread across his face.

_He lives._ Itachi assured him. _But just._

_Can she save him?_

_If Haku says she can, I believe her, she has never lied to me._ Haku's voice broke into everyone's thoughts.

_I need you all to do as I do. If you hesitate we will fail._ Silence greeted this remark. But Haku pushed on. _I have faith in you._ _Let's begin. _Everything they needed to do flowed into their minds. They followed Haku's images and followed her lead in a giant dance of power. Signs were woven and Chi slowly seeped from their bodies slowly becoming a river that connected each other by their feet. They were going to make a large interwoven barrier, which would allow the storm to vent in a contained way. However if they failed the backlash would be even worse. The amount of contained pressure would be worse than nuclear weapons. It would literally rip the earth apart in a matter of minutes.

Blue green energy of the chi solidified and moved connecting everyone. It sluggishly traveled up, slowly coming together above the storm. It came together at the last possible moment; the storm lashed at it, bulging in some places like a balloon that was about to pop.

_Focus._ The storm whipped and battered against the shield, shoving hard against the wall of energy. The ice on which they stood started to buck and give way as the pressure was slowly being vented downward, crushing the ice. Some started to slid and slip until Megan or Neeha focused on them. Soon everyone was floating just above the icy water. Ice started to form along the interior of the shield; building and growing heavier. It seemed like hours that they all stood there then silence fell. The howling storm stopped with a strange pop; like a light bulb had burst. The ice stilled and Haku was the first to drop her hands and collapse to her knees.

"It is done." Like a spell that had been broken the barrier faded and everyone shifted back to themselves. Some went to study the thick ball of ice that floated and bobbed in the water in front of them. Only Artemis came running over to Haku/Bard and Itachi/Nightwing. She dropped down beside Wally incased in ice.

"Is he?" She couldn't bring herself to say the word dead. Haku didn't blame her. She shook her head no.

"I am holding him in the ice and it has slowed everything in him. In order for him to survive he needs boost. A kick start if you will. Then you will need to bring him back." Artemis looked at this girl.

"What do you need me to do?" Haku stared into the other girl's eyes.

"You will not have to die. Do not worry, however what I do will connect you two for the rest of your life. Are you alright with that?"

"Don't you mean our lives?" Haku shook her head no.

"Your lives will be connected, when you die, so will he." Artemis looked from Wally to Haku.

"Do it." Haku nodded and drew a dagger from under her cloak. She took Artemis's hand and quickly sliced the dagger across her open palm. "Cup your hand, try to keep the blood from leaving your hand." Haku then laid her hand over Wally's hand. Chi glowed and caused steam to rise until Wally's hand and arm was completely free. She then proceeded to make the same cut in Wally's palm. Haku waited for the blood to well up, then she took Artemis's hand and laid it over Wally's. Chi flared blinding them.

Artemis felt the bone chilling cold vanish and when the light faded she was standing in a beautiful place. Stars far as the eye could see above her. Then she looked down to see she was standing on water that reflected the night. But it was the middle of the day? Wasn't it? But more importantly, how was she standing on water? It should have easily been up to her waist. Ripples bumped into her feet distracting her from her thoughts. She looked up in the direction they had come from.

"Artemis?" Her eyes widened in shock.

"Wally!" She threw herself at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Where is here?" Wally looked around.

"I think this is my mind's hallucination before I die." Artemis gripped his hands in hers and shook her head.

"No, Haku said she'd sa-." Then she thought about it. "No, I'm here to save you." Wally cocked his head to the side as if he were speaking a foreign language.

"You really are here." Artemis nodded. "How do we get out of here then?" Artemis opened her mouth, then paused, and finally admitted,

"I'm not sure." Wally laughed but looked somewhat relieved. "Wait, I think we go this way." She felt something strange as she walked. It was like an ache that spread through her body the closer they got to a strange light.

"Artemis I don't think we should go this way. It hurts." He tried to tug her the opposite way. In that moment she knew they were going the right way. She squeezed his hand.

"Trust me." When he looked like he would protest again she told him. "Life is painful, but that doesn't mean we should give it up." Wally nodded and together they stepped back into life. Light blinded them then cleared to reveal the cave. A moan beside Artemis had her turning over to see Wally sitting up and no longer incased in ice.

"Why is it so cold?" Artemis threw herself on him again.

"Idiot." she told him trying to hide the tears streaming down her cheeks. Wally looked to Nightwing and to Jessie who stood just behind him.

"Thanks."


	33. Chapter 33

Wild cheers went up from everyone. Even Batman clapped and smiled at the group of young heroes. It didn't take long for soda and snacks to get busted out from the well stocked kitchen. Nightwing thought to use this time to speak with Jessie but every time he tried to approach her someone else would beat him there. First it was Batman who spoke in hushed tones, Jessie seemed unbothered by his usual dark demeanor. Then Cassie and Barbra came up talking very animatedly with her until Impulse came up, and seemed to ask a lot of questions. Just as Nightwing was going up to her Wally and Artemis came up and this time Nightwing was close enough to hear their conversation. Jessie addressed Wally,

"Have you been told what happened?" Her voice was soft and comforting. Wally rubbed the back of his head.

"I was told, not sure how much of it I believe." Jessie nodded an amused smile pulling at her lips, clearly she expected his response to be something along those lines.

"I'm afraid there is more." Wally snorted but Nightwing noticed his friend was still paying attention as Jessie continued. "Your lives are now connected; yours to hers. If you get killed she will feel everything as you would normally, but as long as Artemis lives you will return to life."

"Sweet. Not that I plan on trying it out."

"Good, because," Nightwing could have sworn he heard his friend mutter damn. "When you are hurt, Artemis will feel it as if it is her own body being hurt. In order for you to heal it will drain some energy from her. Thankfully your body naturally heals quickly so neither of you should be in pain for very long. Wally if your body is repeatedly killed it will eventually drain Artemis's life force. The more brutal the death the more energy it will take from her." Wally nodded but glanced at Artemis with a mixture of guilt and anxiety. Artemis snorted,

"Don't look at me like that. I'll hit you myself." Wally was about to argue, but Artemis held a hand up and stopped him from speaking. "Look, I made my choice, I do not regret it and quite frankly I rather like the consequences of this. Maybe now you won't make stupid decisions and run off into danger without me." He looked down at the floor and it seemed to Nightwing that his friend might actually be crying, Wally took Artemis's hand then looked back at Jessie there were no sign of tears.

"Is there any way to prevent her from feeling my pain?"

"So, she won't feel all of your pain, just when you are mortally wounded. It will cause a weird sort of feeling when you are in trouble or in pain, but no pain until you are in serious danger of dying."

"Is there any way to stop that?" he asked again obviously sensing that Jessie was trying to dodge the question.

"Don't get hurt." Wally gave her a deadpan look.

"Other than that?"Jessie bit her lip.

"No, power demands a boon. Life is the most precious form of power of all. There for, it is not something to be trifled with and that which gave life will not be forgiving of those who twist it for their own means, regardless of their motives." Wally looked like he would say something scathing to this but Artemis elbowed him in the ribs before he could. "I understand you will want to try to undo this, but be warned it's no longer just your life you are gambling with-." A growl interrupted her. Wolf approached Jessie from behind with his teeth barred. Superboy went to stop him.

"Wolf what's the matter? She's a friend." Wolf didn't seem to hear him. But it was no longer Jessie standing there. The girl looked almost exactly like Jessie, but her hair was gold instead of copper.

"It's alright. He knows what I am and does not trust me. Stand back please." Superboy did so but he stayed close. Ugly snapping and popping issues from the girl's body. Her body reshaped into a shaggy black wolf that stood a whole head taller than Wolf. The black wolf had one eye that glowed gold with menacing fire. The other was bright blue with human intelligence. Everyone watched with worry and fear as the two wolves growled an snapped at each other. It took a moment but the black wolf's gold eye finally turned blue and once it did Wolf bowed his head in submission. Jessie's character reshaped back into human and patted Wolf on the head.

"Good boy." she scratched behind his ears then she lifted his head and looked into his eyes. "You are a good friend. Watch over this pack of yours, I think they'll need you. Especially your pup." When the girl looked back at the more human spectators she saw the looks on their faces, "What?" People exchanged glances then shrugged it off. Just another part of the family. Then they went back to their conversations. When Nightwing looked back to where Jessie was, she had vanished like a ghost.


	34. Chapter 34

Jessie took the moment everyone was distracted to slip out of the main room. She made her way out of the mountain to the beach and walked a short ways across the sand. The wind felt good on her hot skin and the waves crashed almost playfully calling to her. She quickly shucked off her cloak, boots, and belt with her weapons hanging from it. Taking a tentative step into the water as it rushed up the shore. The water was cool but refreshingly so. After a moment of thought she reflected that some people; Nightwing, would notice her absence soon and probably come looking for her. Jessie smiled mischievously at the though and decided she should have fun while she was able. Carefully she made her way back to her things, making extra sure to put them out of the reach of the water then she pulled off her blouse and riding pants, adding them to the pile. Once she stood in just her breast binding and under shorts that were skin tight she waded out into the surf and waited.

Nightwing followed the signal of the tracker he had slipped on Bard's cloak. Thankfully it was still working even after she had transformed. Oddly enough it showed her down at the beach, but as he walked out across the sand he saw no sign of her by the moon light. Funny how time passes when you're inside the mountain having fun. Suddenly the signal showed he was standing right next to her, looking around he found a pile of clothes folded neatly over her swords. He instantly scanned the water's surface, but didn't see her. She wouldn't have gone too far without her clothes. Then he eyed her clothes and thought, maybe I should head back.

Laughter echoed at first distantly in his mind "Maybe." was her very amused remark. Something about her voice felt strange. Like there was a pressure pushing at her that was fast growing into an ache.

"Are you okay?" Whatever he was feeling from her was whisked away when she realized what she felt was spilling over into him.

"Don't change the subject. For all you know I'm naked and you're out looking for me, what kind of a man are you?" Her voice feigned disbelief and horror. He snorted,

"Are you?"

"Naked or okay?" Amusement swirled around him so she was probably okay and he didn't see underwear in the pile so she couldn't be entirely naked. He suddenly caught a glimpse of himself through her eyes. She was underwater and to his right. Glancing in that direction he caught only a brief glimpse of white. A foot? Her laughter curled around him.

"Jessie?"

"Dick."

"Please come out, the water is probably freezing." She sighed like he had taken all the fun away, then her head appeared above the water. Pouting she swam to shore and slowly walked out of the water. Nightwing's mouth went dry and Bard looked smug. Hands on her hips she asked,

"Better?" Nightwing rubbed his eyes trying to fake annoyance he really didn't feel, all the while blush crept across his cheeks and down his neck.

"Why did you leave?" He did his best not to stare at her, but the glint in her eyes made him wonder how much teasing he was in for. Instead she responded quite simply,

"When you called I woke up and came running. I just needed a minute to remember how it felt to be alive and just feel." she was suddenly thoughtful then asked, "Will you do me a favor?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"What the favor is and if you'll answer my questions. No half truths." he added quickly. Jessie nodded clearly expecting as much.

"Sounds fair; fight me." Nightwing blinked. He was pretty sure he had misheard her.

"What?" she didn't look amused this time.

"You heard me. Fight me, like we used to."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean you did just wake up after several years in a coma." Jessie nodded.

"I need to feel in control again. To remember how it feels to fight in my own body, to test myself like I used to." There was something about what she said that he sympathized with, but there was also no way he would be able to turn down the pleading look in her eyes. A small part of him in the back of his mind whispered that it could be due to the fact that she's wearing minimal clothing. He shoved that thought away quickly.

"Alright." The change was subtle, but instantaneous, like a switch being thrown in the back of her mind. A sly smile spread across her face and her muscles flexed making him wonder if this was a bad idea. Jessie leaned forward then closed the distance between them in less than a breath of time. A fist was aimed at his gut. He caught her fist, but not only did it push him back, but nearly knocked him over for his trouble. Jessie blinked in surprise, either she was stronger than even she thought or one of her characters was starting to bleed through. "Going easy on you is officially out of the question." She smiled.

"I'd hope so. But what's your first question. Or would you rather I started wailing on you a bit more first?" Nightwing actually truly laughed.

"Cheeky thing, aren't you?" Muscles coiled in her left foot before she pivoted around on that foot and aimed a kick at his exposed ribs with her right foot. He caught her foot around the ankle and quickly jerked her forward into him. "Were you avoiding me in the cave earlier?" Her face flushed red and used the force of him dragging her forward to help spin her body and lash out with her left foot. This time she aimed for his face with same almost vicious force. But it was not battle rage or even aggression in her eyes. There was only pure joy of someone reveling in life. He let go of her foot and took a quick step back so her foot passed by him harmlessly. Jessie landed in a crouch just in front of him, quickly rising.

"Yes." Nightwing was thrown not only by the bluntness of the answer, but the honesty that was accompanied with a deep blush. He almost didn't see the knee that come up for a kidney shot that would have left him in a whole lot of pain if it had found its mark.

"Why?" Jessie's blush not only deepened but spread down her neck. Defiantly not from being out of breath he thought to himself.

"I wasn't brave enough to face you with others around. I knew you had questions and I didn't want an audience for the answer-." She let the sentence cut off as he kicked at her side. She caught his foot and tried to flip him on his back, Nightwing simply turned it into a back flip that nearly clipped her chin with his boot. He stepped back into range and started throwing punches. Both moving in an easy rhythm.

"So you couldn't talk to me with everyone listening in, but you could lure me out here and fight me half naked?" She looked away ashamed, but still managing to block punches or dance out of the way.

"When you put it that way it does sound a little bit odd." Now she laughed freely even as they kicked, punched, and grappled for control over the other person. "But yes, that about sums it up." He chuckled and they exchanged more blows. Some hits were scored by both, but most of them blocked or altogether missed. It took a bit for Nightwing to remember his initial question he had wanted to ask. He had actually wanted to ask her this since the second time she had visited him in his dreams.

"You said once that you wouldn't just hand me answers, that you learned the hard way not to do that. Why are you just giving me the answers now? Does that mean what held you back before no longer applies? Is the world truly saved?" Jessie laughed breathlessly at him, which was odd she shouldn't even be tired yet, he certainly wasn't. Jessie being Jessie, answered his last question first.

"The world will always be in danger that will require heroes like you and me to save it." She took a deep shuddering breath, but kept her hands up in a defensive position, this gave Nightwing pause. She couldn't still be sick, could she? They circled each other and Jessie looked away from him to just past his shoulder. It was an old trick that had won her many matches before.

"Whatcha see Jessie? Can't be the answers to my other two question-." His foot hit a hollow in the sand that was much too deep to be natural. Damn, how did she do that was he could think as he fell backwards. A smug smile spread across Jessie's face. She pounced, launching herself on top of him as he crashed to the sand. He'd been played, again. Her weight came down and pinned him in the next moment. He was almost shocked when he tried pushing her off. Her skin was much too hot to be normal, and what he had mistaken for water leftover from her getting out of the ocean was actually sweat. The two of them rolled around, each trying to keep the other pinned. Jessie ended up on top and pressed her knee to his groin. He stopped knowing she wouldn't hurt him unless he tried to overpower her.

"Not going to get up?" She asked with a smug smile, but her breath was ragged and her while body seemed to tremble with effort.

"Are you dodging the question?" Jessie bit her lip and looked away from him. "Jessie?" Now he was starting to get concerned. She moved and sat down next to being careful not to accidentally hurt him when she was getting up.

"Do you have all your memories back?" Nightwing blinked. Not the response he had expected. He turned her question over in his head. He did have them, he was sure, wasn't he? It took a moment going back through his mind before he found what he suspected Jessie was talking about. The last thing he would remember was Jessie would curl up suddenly in pain then nothing.

"Jessie why am I still missing some of my memories. Why are the missing memories all revolve around you?" She ran a hand through her hair and took a shaky breath.

"My power. It's not really my characters. My characters are simply my ancestors power which I inadvertently tapped into. My power is I am able to heal my mind. I'm am the largest dissociative identify disorder, but I can move from personality to personality with ease and am aware with each one." Nightwing swallowed

"What does that have to do with my memories?" She wiped a hand across her eyes to wipe away tears.

"You know that if someone who has a mental illness and lives in close contact with someone who is a blood relative who does not have a mental illness that person can develop mental illness."

"But that's only if they are related and if they are secluded with no other contact." Jessie nodded.

"Not really related, the person without a mental illness just needs someone up in their family tree to have had something to make them susceptible. So what would happen, do you think, if you took someone's mind who had a mental illness and rubbed it up against that of a mind that had no illness?" Nightwing's stomach dropped.

"How is that possible?" Fear choked him as he thought about all his friends who now had a permanent connection to Bard. "Not through visiting your mind?" Jessie sighed.

"No! Thankfully no. But just because I can heal, doesn't mean my power doesn't overwhelm me if I don't let all my characters vent or I use one too much. I told you last time." She swallowed hard made a sound that was between a laugh and a sob. "You, you being you, when you saw me in pain, you went into my head and tried to hold off the characters. It was then that it started to rub off on you. It started to affect you in ways I couldn't even begin to imagine. So I took the memories of you helping me away and soon you were back to normal." It took Nightwing seconds to make the connection.

"Jessie? you said your power will overwhelm you when you use your characters too much; like you did today?" Now it seemed obvious, she was sweating even more regardless of the fact that a cool breeze was blowing gently off the ocean. Her breath was coming out in shallow pants. "Jessie?" He sat up and went to comfort her but she threw herself away from him.

"Stay back!" she warned desperately. Then she looked him in the eyes and he saw hers were rapidly changing color and shape. Some of them were the same color others it was like two different people stared at him. A spasm rippled through her dragging her to the ground. She whispered, "Please stop." Tears streaming down her eyes. The hair on the back of Nightwing's neck rose up. Her voice was filled with agony as she stared off into the distance no longer even seeing him.

Then before he could do anything power rippled out from her about a foot from her before dissipating. Next came fire, ice, water, plants grew up, then died in the next wave, electricity pulsed outward, then several different bands of color each more powerful and eerie than the last. Then Jessie's body began to change first her hair, then her height, her skin. Different tattoos chased each other across her skin each burning with life before fading back into her skin. Next she became entirely different creatures which included two wolves, a dragon, a burning bird, and several other monstrous creatures. Finally she seemed to return to normal but she still shook and stared blankly at the sky. Nightwing took a deep breath before he surged into her mind. He didn't care if he became ill. She wouldn't be alone for this.

In her mind clips played. The first showed Jessie dressed as Bard washing up on the shore a few years into the future. He couldn't be sure how far in the future, but then he gasped when he noticed in the clip Jessie's belly was swollen. She was pregnant and pretty far along. The clipped sputtered to a stop and changed. Now it depicted a picture of Nightwing standing in front of a grave with Alexandra and her family beside. It was Jessie's grave and dated two months from today. Again the clip sputtered and then panned out to show the broken burnt out ruins of what was, at one time, a city. Images started to crowd the screen and then disappear before Nightwing could get a clear view of most of them. Finally the screen went blank and the room went back to normal.

Jessie laid curled up in the rug rocking back and forth. Nightwing sat down beside and just waited for her to stop. When she did he said, "You know, you're more trouble than you look." she made an odd sound that might have been a sob. "No worries. I like trouble." she snorted and looked up at him.

"You're a good man." He smiled gently at her.

"I know." the he smirked. "I'd say same to you, but I'm pretty sure you're not a man." This time she did actually laugh.

"I take it back, your an ass." He laughed at her and she punched him weakly.

"So what was that?"

"Those little movies you saw were possible futures. What could be, what might be, what won't be, what will be."

"You were pregnant in one." She snorted.

"Yes, I saw."

"Any ideas who the father is or might be?" Now she laughed and asked,

"Why, you offering?" Nightwing blushed.

"No, I was curious." After a moment of silence she answered,

"I can only think of three possible choices at the moment. That future wasn't too far off. A few years, give or take." Robin waited patiently. Something about her statement irritated him. "The first is you." He wasn't sure how to take that.

"And the others?" The silence that fell was very telling. He knew she was trying to think of the best way to phrase her sentence.

"I found the letters the "angel" left for my ancestor and Gabriel showed me his family's. Towards the end it mentions that the two friends lines would cross." Nightwing clenched and unclenched his fist, he did not like where this was going. "Gabriel is one possibility."

"And the other?"

"The letters also speaking of the "angel" coming back." Not a whole lot better.

"What do you think of all of this?" She was quiet for a long time seemingly lost in thought.

"I see the future or possible outcomes all the time. I know the danger of running from a possible future. I also know that it may never happen. I think whoever the father is that person will be my own choosing. Whether it is for reasons of the heart or not I have no way of knowing, but I will make my own future regardless." Nightwing smiled.

"I also saw a woman there. Starfire?" Now Jessie chuckled.

"Nope, no more. Out. I think I need a nap."

"Oh no you don't. If you fall asleep someone is likely to come out side and find us. Then I'm the bad guy taking advantage of you." Jessie chuckled darkly. Just the kind of thing she would find funny.

"Fine." she sighed dramatically before sending him back to his own mind.


	35. Chapter 35

Jessie pulled her clothes back on and wobbled. Nightwing watched with a mixture of amusement and worry. He stood next to her and allowed her to use him to brace herself so she wouldn't fall over. Her body still trembled from the force of her changing. Fingers shook so badly that she fumbled with the belts and swords. Nightwing gently took them from her. Sliding the swords onto the belt then cinching her waist with it. Jessie looked at the ground with a mixture of anger and fear. She clenched her fist to stop the shaking in her hands. Guessing her thoughts he told her,

"You can't be powerful all the time." She looked up at him eyes brimming with tears.

"I spent several years in a coma, I think I've been weak enough to last me a life time." Nightwing chuckled.

"I don't think that's how it works." Jessie growled at that making Nightwing laugh. "It's good to have you back." Jessie snorted. "Have you thought about whether or not you will join our team?" Jessie's expression changed to one that was amusement and annoyance.

"If there is one thing the future has told me in a very loud way, is that I will always be trying to save this world. That does not mean I'll always be joining you guys on missions, but you will always have my help, as long as you are still on the side of good." Nightwing raised his eyebrow at the last comment. Jessie huffed a laugh. "Like the future, people change. Whether you will or not I have no clue, so don't ask." Nightwing shut his mouth on the question he had already been about to ask. He smiled contentedly and helped Jessie all the way back up to the cave. Gently he steered her away from the party that was still going on in the main room. Instead he directed her to the room Alexandra had been using.

Jessie laid down with a sigh of relief. Her eye lids already drooping. She curled up on top of the covers much like a cat might. Her breathing became even and steady in only moments of shutting her eyes. Nightwing sighed and carefully pulled off her boots, setting them beside the bed. Then he paused, he really should remove her swords and belt, but he could very easily get in trouble for that too. He shook his head and began undoing the belt. With great care he pulled her swords out from underneath her.

"Are you trying to take advantage of me?" she mumbled sleepily. Nightwing snorted.

"If anyone is going to take advantage of someone else, it will you taking advantage of my poor innocent soul." Her laughter died away as she slipped back to sleep. Taking her cloak he laid it over her to keep her warm. Nightwing turned to go and found Alexandra standing in the doorway.

"How is she?"

"Tired."

"That's not really what I was talking about." So she had known about Jessie's or at least guessed what might happen.

"Then speak what you mean." Alexandra raised her eyebrows at him.

"How bad was the backlash from using all that power?" Nightwing narrowed his eyes at Alexandra.

"You knew this would happen." Alexandra shrugged, it wasn't indifference, it was resignation to something she could not change.

"Not for certain, but it was very likely to happen." Nightwing felt stunned.

"Wasn't there anything you could do?" Alexandra looked offended and very clearly angry at what he was getting at.

"Aside from comfort her through the pain, no." Nightwing looked down at the floor and pushed away the memory of Jessie pleading to stop.

"It exhausted her and was painful. However the power didn't go far from her." Alexandra sighed in relief.

"Well that's a good thing. Once she nearly set the whole house on fire and nearly drowned me. This means she's gaining more control over the extent. Or maybe she had better control because she didn't want to hurt you." She glanced past him at her sister. "I'll stay with her, but I think you should rest too, you're probably just as tired as she was." Nightwing nodded and walked off to another spare room. Collapsing into the bed he shut his and was asleep in seconds. That night Nightwing dreamt of a small boy who smiled up at him with eyes like Jessie's.

Early in the morning Nightwing was woken by the shriek of the alarms. Someone was escaping the holding cells, and there was only person currently in the holding area. Gabriel. Nightwing rolled to his feet and was instantly sprinting down through the tunnels not toward the holding cell but towards Jessie and Alexandra's room. He pushed open the door to find both girls strapping weapons around their waist.

"We're fine." Jessie assured him knowing all too well what Nightwing had feared. They followed him out and down to the holding cells. Red Tornado and the few members who stayed at the mountain were already there.

"Spread out and search for him." Nightwing ordered. "Megan can you touch his mind and get an idea where he is?" Red Tornado was already on a computer scanning through security feeds. Jessie transformed in a giant red and white wolf. She walked into the cell and sniffed the plain handcuffs that lay discarded by the cell door. After she had his scent she followed it off into the mountain.

"Why was he restrained with just these?" Alexandra asked holding up the cuffs with a pen she had pulled out of her pouch. Red Tornado answered,

"We haven't been able to replace our other handcuffs yet. But we saw no harm in using those in the mean time." Alexandra snorted at this.

"Gabriel has been picking locks like this since he was a child. His mother taught him how. Not to mention he can completely strip an entire engine or a computer for that matter and rebuild it better and faster than it was. And you didn't see the harm in not restraining him properly? Don't you know what people say about assuming?" Red Tornado made no response, clearly seeing Alexandra's point.

Jessie came back soaking wet and looking very disgruntled. Her wolf shook out it's fur splattering everyone. There was a chorus of "yuck" and "gross". Jessie transformed back still soaked.

"He escaped into the bay." Red Tornado watched rewound the security footage back to last night. Nightwing noticed the time that Jessie's was struggling to control her power was the same time Gabriel's head snapped up. He began working away at his boot trying to work something out of it. A thin piece of metal. It took him several hours to get the piece of metal into his hands. But once it was there he had an easy time undoing the shackles that held his power in check. Soon he was free. Then he stood at the door trying to figure out a way out. Eventually he managed to tumble the locks with his own mental strength. But once he finished and opened the door the alarm went off. Gabriel took off through the passages.

He ducked down halls and hid when people ran past him. It took him a little bit to figure out which way he wanted to go, by the time he made it to the bay Jessie had found him. The wolf growled and lunged for him. Gabriel smiled and jumped into the murky water. Jessie jumped in after him. The wolf dove under the water but came back up only a little bit later looking harassed and angry. She shook herself dry then trotted off back to them.

"He had some sort of underwater device waiting for him. Even my fastest underwater character wouldn't have been able to catch up. I will head the search for him." Nightwing was going to protest this, but Red Tornado nodded his agreement.

"You know him best, so that would be for the best."


	36. Chapter 36

After that everyone quickly left to go about their business as usual. Nightwing followed Jessie back to her room and waited until they were alone before demanding,

"Are you crazy? You just spent several years in a coma because of him! Now you want to go after him by yourself?" Jessie was putting a leather bound journal in a bag trying very hard not to look at his furious expression.

"You can't exactly go chasing him. The team needs you." She finally turned and looked him in the eyes. Her feet were slightly apart and her shoulders were straight back. Nightwing recognized the look in her eyes, she was going to do this and nothing he would say could stop her. "Have you ever just known you were meant to do something?" Nightwing felt a chill go down his spine. He couldn't help but remember to vision of him and Alexandra standing in front of a grave.

"You could die." Jessie shrugged.

"We all die at some point. That is one path that everything living must tread. Some may take longer to go that way than others, but we all will go that way eventually." She smiled reassuringly at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I do not think I will die so soon. There are things that I'm supposed to do yet." Nightwing sighed he couldn't really stop her.

"Keep in touch." She smiled and nodded.

"I will not die this month or the next." Out of the corner of Nightwing's eye he saw a light flash on his right hand. Jessie's crest.

"You can't possibly make that promise." she chuckled darkly.

"The interesting thing about rules and laws, under the right circumstances, they can be rewritten." Jessie threw her bag over her shoulder and strode past him. Nightwing felt something in him clench. He should stop her. Yet he stood rooted to the spot his mouth refused to work, his voice failed him. "No worries, I'll be back." His hand flashed again. He wasn't worried about getting her back, he was worried about what condition she'd come back to him in.

"What happens if you break your word?" He turned to watch her back as she continued to walk away. She shrugged carelessly.

"That's up to the person who I broke faith with." She turned back to him a sly grin on her face. "It's never happened before so I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you." Nightwing snorted and then she was gone. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I think you're avoiding me again." He said to where she had been standing.

_You might be right._ Laughter filled his mind

"No more dream visits. That could be misconstrued." He felt her amusement.

_You wouldn't happen to have lewd thoughts about your friend, now would you?_ He nearly choked.

"As you are taking the cowards way out, I don't think I'll answer that." Already his fear and anger were forgotten in the easy banter that had once been between them.

The days went by much slower. Nightwing threw himself into his work and stopped only when he was too tired to move. The rest of the team was starting to get nervous about it. Some suggested calling in Bard from the field when he seemed truly agitated. None of them said this where he could hear. Finally it was Megan who grabbed Nightwing out from behind his desk and dragged him to the training mat. Much to the surprise of everyone; including Nightwing.

"Hey Megan! I need to finish this." he protested. He had been staring at the screen for several hours trying to find a lead on Gabriel.

"No, you need a change." she snapped. Most of the other team members took that as their cue and everyone seemed to find things to do on the other side of the mountain. Only Connor stayed. She released his shirt and he staggered onto the mat. "Computer, combat training. Nightwing isn't to leave until he beats me."

"Computer override." The computer blared angrily at Nightwing.

"Match begin." said the computerized voice. Nightwing growled and launched himself at Megan who floated out of harm's way almost lazily. He tried various methods for holding Megan. He even had to resort to using a controlled flame. Nothing. The alarm blared and Connor looked to Megan. There was an emergency.

"Have Aqua lad take over for this mission."

"You can't do that Megan!" Nightwing snapped.

"If you can beat me you can go." She said it simply and Connor left before Nightwing could demand something of him.

"I'm the leader." he panted, then he tried to walk off the mat. Electricity buzzed threateningly around the edge.

"Not like this you aren't." she floated in front of him sitting with her legs crossed. "You have worked yourself to exhaustion. You're no good to anyone like this. You haven't even eaten since yesterday. So it's no wonder why you can't function right." She paused and watched as he caught his breath. "I called in Bard." Nightwing looked up at her. It was a week away from the day on the tombstone in Bard's vision. Megan had picked that out of her friend's mind while he worked himself to bone and was about dead on his feet. "I can't find her."

Nightwing blinked.

"It's like she no longer exists." she continued. "Not even her sister can feel her anymore. It's almost like-." Nightwing snarled.

"She's not dead!" Megan smiled.

"No, she's not." The girl knew playing on his fears was cruel, but this had to stop one way or another. "Now stop acting like she is and start acting like our leader!" The words were a lash across his pride. He realized he was too tired to properly fight. He failed his team. Slumping down to his knees he sat there dejected until Megan came to hover beside him.

"I'm sorry." he whispered. In a last ditch effort Nightwing whipped his staff out and stopped it just short of Megan's throat. If he had actually struck her, it might have broken her neck. His friend smiled at him and the computer whirled.

"Match Nightwing." Megan nodded at the door that the rest of the team was heading out. He snorted.

"Don't ever do that again." Megan smiled at him.

"As long as you do forget to be our leader, I won't. We need you, Dick."

"Deal." He walked out with his shoulders back and his head held high.

"How long are you going hide?" Megan asked when Nightwing was out of hearing range. A weak laugh came from the shadows. Bard stepped out clutching a wound in her side.

"Long enough to be sure."

"Why didn't you do something! Say something!" Bard slipped to the floor panting.

"About him working too hard, my wound, or that I was here?"

"All of the above."

"You had it under control, I'll mend in time without him fussing, and it'll be better if he finds someone else." She was getting pale and sweat dotted her brow, while her breath came out in shallow pants. Megan glared at her.

"That is for him to decide." Bard chuckled softly.

"Probably." Megan floated over to her and helped her to the medic bay. There she was treated. Megan was about to leave when Bard caught her arm. "Don't tell him." Megan looked the other girl over. They were friends and she could see it was killing her to make that request, but she nodded. It was on the tip of her tongue to try and persuade Bard to talk to Nightwing, but she supposed she really had no room to talk. When Megan came back a few hours later to check on Bard; the girl was gone. Megan sighed,

"One of these days." Connor came into the room laughing. "What's so funny?"

"The alien woman that was terrorizing the city?" he smothered his laughter. "We caught her, first thing she did was grab Nightwing and kiss him. Now she speaks English." Megan couldn't help but wonder about Bard.

"What are you thinking?" She whispered not realizing she spoke out loud.

"Hmm?" Connor inquired. Megan blushed.

"Nothing, I was talking to myself."


	37. Chapter 37

It had been exactly five years since Bard had left to hunt down Gabriel. Nightwing looked at the ceiling in his small apartment. He had seen glimpses of her when she returned to help. Occasionally it felt like she was near. Watching his back. The last few months especially. When everything else seemed to go to shit. His marriage. The investments he made. He sighed and rolled over.

"Dick!" There was a knock on his door from his roommate.

"Yeah?" She snorted.

"Get your lazy butt up. You've got a letter. Fancy too." He pushed himself off his bed with a groan and stretched the kinks in his back out. He walked out into the main living space, his roommate was sitting at their kitchen table sipping coffee and working on her computer. She indicated the lone envelope on the table. Nightwing picked it up, noting it was like the ones Bruce got inviting him to fancy parties. Glancing at the front it was addressed to him. Everything written in flowing letters. Curious, he broke the seal and opened it. There were two things in it. One was an invitation that matched the envelope. The other was a piece of notebook paper that had been ripped out and hastily stuck with it.

I need a favor. I need you to stand in for me and accept the award for one of my books. I am currently in hiding and can't really go out and accept the award in person. I'll know when you RSVP. Please wear something nice.

Bard

Nightwing could only stare at the note. He hadn't heard much from Bard accept another hand written note congratulating him on his engagement to Starfire. Pulling out the invitation he realized it was a black tie masquerade event. There was to be a fund raiser for a child's group as well as honoring the rising author and co-author with an award. And it was tomorrow night. Of course.

After calling the number he confirmed his ticket had already been paid for and everything was ready. The woman at the other end made her distaste for tardiness known in her snobbish attitude. Dick had to bite his tongue suddenly remembering why he had never liked going to such events. The only change in the woman's demeanor was when he gave her his seat number. She was surprised and from that point on was polite and helpful. When he hung up his roommate looked up from her computer.

"Since when do you have a fancy party plans?"

"I don't, it's a favor for a friend." The words tasted bitter in his mouth. A friend who didn't seem to want to have anything to do with him anymore. He thought he heard a gasp of pain. He turned to see his roommate still working. Running a hand through his hair he went back to his room and checked on the condition of his one suit. It had been a while since he had last worn it. Trying it on he realized it still fit nicely. Now all he needed was a mask. Maybe Bruce would loan him one. He put that thought out of his mind.

_I don't suppose you have a mask for me? _He thought at Jessie. She hadn't responded that way in years. But there was a sudden flare of power behind him. Turning just in time to see a purple portal the size of a dinner plate open over his bed. A small black object tumbled out and onto his bed. Then the portal closed. He shook his head as he went to pick up the simple mask. It would cover about half of his face. _You wouldn't happen to be ignoring me? _He thought at her. There was no response.

"I didn't think so." he said with a sigh. Then he noticed another note clipped to the mask. Unfolding the scrap of paper he read the two words.

Thank you!

"No problem." he flopped down on the bed again. He turned the mask over in his hands, staring at the eye holes. "What are you up to?" experience taught him that the mask wouldn't answer, and neither would Jessie; not until she wanted to. Groaning he set the mask on his bedside table and turned over to hide his face in the pillow.

The place was packed. Nightwing looked around the hotel ballroom. Everywhere one looked there were sparkling jewels, and expensive clothes. When he had arrived ten minutes earlier and given his invitation the woman working the booth, she eyed him like shark eyes its meal. Briskly she called an assistant over to man the booth in her absence then lead Nightwing to a table near the front. Then she proceeded to tell him if he needed anything he need only ask her. After she left a waiter came by with a tray of glasses of some kind of expensive alcohol. He took one and sipped it until someone familiar plopped down in the chair beside him. The woman was in her late twenties, very tall; almost willowy. Her black dress was form fitting down to her knees, but cut off at the shoulders with a collar going up most of her slender neck. Across the front of the dress was a dragon stitched in almost luminescent silver thread.

Amy Lawson, Jessie's publisher, editor, and manager. She smiled professionally at him from under her long black hair. She set an envelope down in front of him then extended a hand to him.

"Mr. Grayson, it's a pleasure to see you again." He took her hand and shook it gently. Jessie had introduced them a few years ad he had to admit the woman did a fantastic job of reigning in Jessie when it came to her stories. He also suspected she was the driving force behind Jessie to get work done.

"It's been a while, I take it Jessie's books are a success?" She bobbed her head up and down excitedly.

"Yes, this book you two did together seems to be the most popular yet." Nightwing blinked. He was sure he had miss heard her.

"Together?" She bobbed her head again and pushed the envelope to him.

"Yes, I'm sorry it took so long to get your pay check. It's been hard to get a hold of Jessie while she vacationing in the mountains. And she's so often in her own world she forgets to come back to the real one." Didn't he know it, but to be fair they didn't share their head space with about fifty other people.

"Wait, I didn't do anything. How do I have a paycheck?" Amy blinked surprised.

"Jessie left instructions when she did finally turn in the manuscript. She said you two worked on it together a long time ago and that it wouldn't have been finished without your input." She turned and grabbed her purses. "Speaking of which," She pulled out a book and gave it to him. He took it and nearly laughed out loud. "This is your copy of the book." The book was the very first one he had gone over with Jessie. So many hours they had debated different points, plots, and dialogue. So much bad grammar.

"Thank you, Amy. You wouldn't happen to know when Jessie is getting back from her vacation would you?" The woman shook her head no.

"I was hoping you would know. We were supposed to have a meeting on her next book that's in the works, but I can't get a hold of her." She shrugged. "Guess cell service is bad where she is." Nightwing nodded his agreement. Though he very much doubted Jessie was in the mountains or that cell service was the reason Amy couldn't get a hold of her.

"One more question."

"Shoot."

"I don't have to give a speech do I?" Amy snorted.

"These people here are writers, not speakers. Your safe. Just go up there, look pretty, and smile. Excuse me." Now it was his turn to snort as Amy got up to go speak with someone else she saw walking away. He glanced at the plain envelope Amy had left. It felt like a dare. Open it now or later? He sighed and pulled to him. He cracked the seal and pulled a check out. He blinked once, twice, three times. There were five zeros after the six; eight if he including the two after the decimal point. Hesitantly he took a sip of his drink to calm himself. It didn't help.


	38. Chapter 38

"A pleasure to meet the elusive Mr. Grayson." Nightwing set his drink down and looked up at the woman who had come to stand beside him. Her hair drew his attention; it was like a living flame with the colors that streaked through it; reds, oranges, gold and even a strand of blue or green in places. Brilliant emerald eyes stared at him from under an ornate flame mask. His mouth wet dry as his gaze went down. The dress, much like the rest of her, looked like fire. The v of her dress plunged way down and even opened to form a circle around her belly button. Silk layers gave enticing views of long legs and strappy heels. Oh god, he thought, what if he had to get up an accept the award in a few minutes. He prayed that he wouldn't have to go up just yet he would be stiff as a board and everyone would know why.

"A pleasure, Madam?" His voice came out a little hoarse. She smiled an amused smile like she was having a private joke.

"Aurora." she extended a gloved hand and shook his hand. He took it and shook her hand. That name rang a dim bell.

"Have we met before?" She smiled again like there was something obvious he was missing.

"Once or twice through a," she paused thoughtfully. "friend of mine, but very briefly." Nightwing tried to think back to all the parties he had been too. Yet he couldn't recall this woman ever being at any function he had gone to with Bruce. And he would have remembered this woman. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Aurora slid gracefully into the chair beside him and crossed her legs.

"Oh? Is that friend here?" she smiled wickedly

"Not at the moment. We had a long journey, so I think she is resting."

"Are you staying here with your friend?"

"Yes." the smile that pulled her lips was all seduction. "Would you care to join me?" Nightwing thought about the request. That in and of itself was telling. Something didn't seem right. This woman had picked him out by name and was deliberately and plainly trying to seduce him. A small part of him admitted she had succeeded. What was her game?

"What about your friend?"

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She knows me well enough." Nightwing nodded and steered the conversation away from sex. They chatted about various things but whenever the conversation turned towards Aurora or any part of her past or family the questions were deftly side stepped. At one point she made a slight slip, when referring to her mother, though she almost said creator instead. It was then that the award ceremony began. Both of them were forced to pay attention as different authors and their books were called. Jessie's book was called up twice. He stood and graciously accepted both on her behalf. On his way back he spotted Amy and went to drop off the awards with her.

"Well done. It would been pulling teeth to get Jessie to do that." Nightwing smiled, he remembered his friend's aversion with standing in the spot light and speaking even if she was only saying thank you. "I noticed you found the pretty woman cosplaying as a flame."

"Actually I wanted to know if you knew who she was." Amy shrugged.

"Never met her before, heck I've never heard of her before. I was hoping you knew her."

"I don't know her." Yet now he was suspicious that that might not be true.

"Neither had I until Jessie asked me to put her name on the list and give the woman her invitation." Then it clicked.

"Jessie invited her?" Amy nodded. He wasn't sure if he was pissed or happy.

"Yeah why?"

"It turns out I do know her after all." He got up and made his way back to the table where Aurora was lounging in her chair. He extended an arm to her.

"I believe my duty is done for this night." She raised a perfect eyebrow and gave him a smile that should have knocked the wind out of him. It didn't. "Lead the way." She rose and he couldn't help but notice she looked even more like fire, even the temperature was rising. Aurora deftly lead him to the elevators and away from the crowd that was forming. Almost like they couldn't see them.

The elevator swept them up to the top floor. Then they were on the move again. Down the hallway to the last room. Aurora drew a key from her dress, something that would have had any other man on their knees. She swiped it then dragged him into the room. Swiftly Nightwing stepped in front of her to block her path to the bed. A hand skimmed up her cheek and took her mask off. Then he reached back and undid his own.

"I want to see your face when you are Jessie again," he whispered, "Aurora AynaSvek." Aurora looked completely unfazed. She smiled broadly at him.

"What gave me away?" Nightwing smiled amused.

"It took me longer than it should have, but when you said your creator or mother dreamt you up; I suspected. Amy told me Jessie had a ticket set aside for you. That's when I remembered reading a bit of your story. Aurora born of fire and light. You were supposed to be everything Jessie wasn't."

"What do you mean supposed to? I am everything she isn't." Nightwing shook his head no.

"Jessie seemed to think that she was unfeminine. She made you what she thought every man's fantasy was. But I always liked Jessie's way of being bold and seductive better." Aurora snorted,

"Brawling in the sand half naked?" Night wing nodded. He was amazed that one of Jessie's characters could view her the way Aurora did, but then she had been created in Jessie's self consciousness about such aspects of herself.

"I liked it." he said firmly. Aurora snorted again.

"Maybe she doesn't-" her voice broke off and became Jessie's. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-." she broke off just as emerald eyes turned gold and looked down at the floor. The color in her hair washed away leaving only her natural hair color. Jessie shrank half an inch then seemed to be normal again.

"A friend once told me, it's alright to lie to a stranger, but not yourself. You'll only end up hurting yourself." She sucked in a deep breath trying to calm the trembling in her hands. When she couldn't she slipped them behind her back. "However you also said I'd know if you ever lied to me too." She froze. "Some people consider what you do stalking you know." She winced like he slapped her. "Don't think I didn't notice all those lucky happen stances where I came out of things alive that I shouldn't."

"I think I should leave." she wouldn't look at him and when she did turn to leave he put his arm up to block her. Now she looked up at him completely forgetting her fear and now angry. "I will throw you out of my way." he smiled mischievously at her.

"And I'll take you with me when you send me flying into that bed." She ducted her head but not before he saw the blush creeping down her face and neck. He put a hand under her chin and made her look up at him. "For once in your life, tell me straight out, what do you want." She stared at him for a long time. He almost thought she was going to run when she whispered,

"You." One simple word. He did think, just bent down the few scant inches that separated them and kissed her. She froze under him then hesitantly reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed for what could have been seconds or minutes. When they finally came up for air he asked,

"How long are you renting this room?"

"Until tomorrow afternoon."

"Good." he scooped her up and brought her over to the bed.


	39. Chapter 39

The sun flittered through the thick curtains. At first Nightwing didn't recognize their room. Then he looked to the warmth that was pressed up against him. Breath whooshed out of him as he took in Jessie. She was asleep, curled up against him. Her hair was a tangled mess that created a halo around her and took his breath away. His arm was thrown over her, covering her bare breasts. The sheet was tangled around their legs locking them together. Then he remembered last night. All of it. He sighed content and pulled her closer to him. He buried his face against her neck. This is real, he thought to himself.

Jessie made a soft moan. He held himself very still and didn't dare move. Her eyes opened then she turned to face him. He wondered if she would be able to or if she'd run. She stared at him for a long moment and dawning seem creep into her eyes. She covered her face in her hands and muttered,

"That was very bad." Nightwing completely unperturbed, propped his head on his hand and stared down at her. His other hand skimmed down her bare skin sending goose bumps across her flesh.

"I have a dictionary on my phone. I assure you that if you look up the word bad you will find what we did was not bad." She peeked out at his amused face, scowling.

"I will hit you." He grinned.

"Kinky." He flashed her a smile and faster than he could react, she grabbed her pillow and proceeded to beat him with it.

"Is that all you can think?" She demanded in mock horror. Nightwing just laid there as the pillow came down over and over. He couldn't help but laugh. Had he ever been this happy? The pillow came down for another attack and Nightwing grabbed the offending wrist, swiftly rolling so he lay across Jessie's much smaller frame. He enjoyed the feel of her soft skin against his, and the feel of her muscles flexing against him. Trying to throw him off. Her breath hitched and he briefly wondered if that was because of his weight or the fact she could feel his arousal pressing up against her.

"I'm sure I can think of other things." He replied with a lazy grin. Jessie blushed deeply and squirmed under him. "I don't think you want to do that." He smiled flashing white teeth. The look in Jessie's eyes was like fire. Leaning down to kiss her; his phone took that moment to buzz. He looked at the offending phone and heard a sound that might have been a sigh of relief or frustration. Rolling off Jessie he grabbed his phone. He looked at the number, Gotham, but not one he knew. He answered,

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Alexandra." Nightwing looked over to Jessie and mouthed, _your sister._

"What's up?" She sounded agitated.

"Um, it's about Jessie." Nightwing looked up to Jessie. She was climbing out of the bed managing to untangling her legs from the sheets. "I can't contact her. Even telepathically. I'm worried something has happened to her." Something had happened to her, just not what her sister was worried about. He watched as Jessie padded softly to the bathroom. The door closed and the shower started up. "Dick?"

"Hmm, oh yeah, I think she's fine." There was a pause from the other the other end of the phone. Nightwing was too busy watching the door wondering if it had been locked to notice.

"She's with you." Surprised Nightwing glanced down at his phone. Oops. There was a grateful sigh of relief. "Thank God!" Wait what?

"Uh."

"If she's with you she isn't dead. She's alright isn't she?" He forced himself to look away from the bathroom door and think about the conversation he was having.

"Yeah, I think she's better than ever." Throwing the blankets off him he walked to the door. "I've gotta go." He hung up and dropped his phone on the table. Gently he tested the knob. It was unlocked. He knocked softly, better safe than thrown across the room.

"Yes?"

"Room for another." Silence greeted the question. Not good.

"Tight squeeze." Not a no. He opened the door. Steam rushed past him as he stepped the door. The curtain was clear. Giving him a sinful look of water sliding down bare skin. His mouth went very dry despite the wetness of the air around them. She finally turned to look at him. How had it taken this damn long to see it? How often had she gone to visit him, and he her? Why had everything been twisted so badly? What would have changed if she had never been taken? Would they have been here sooner? "Sometimes the long way is the better way." Her voice was husky.

Stepping into the shower he wasn't sure what he wanted more. A repeat of last night in the shower or to deny what she had said at the top of his lungs. She lost years of her life and he had been tortured. This was not better. But it was something. He kissed her, water splashed over them adding to the heat he was already feeling. The kisses became more passionate more forceful. And she responded her body almost melting into his. He backed her up against the tile wall hands skimming over wet skin. She trembled, her hands moved up his chest, exploring. He groaned,

"I have one question."

"Hmm?" She panted breathlessly. Her breasts heaving against his chest making him even more aroused if that was even possible.

"Will you be able to face me after this?" He whispered against her skin. She froze under him. He kissed across her the shoulder and waited patiently. She shuddered,

"If you had let me walk out last night, I wouldn't be able to. Now?" He didn't even realize he was holding his breath. "Now," she looked up at him and rose up on her toes to kiss him like her life depended on it. A leg wrapped around his waist and God, she felt glorious. They kissed and he was pretty sure sparks flew. They moved from the shower after the water got cold to the bed. Between the shower and bed he told her, her sister was worried. She said she would call her back.

Nightwing woke in a familiar place. His own bed this time. Glancing around his room he saw his suit and the mask hanging up on the back of his door. He was just about to swear when a shape moved in the darkness. Jessie. He sat up.

"Sorry about that." He blinked the last thing he remembered an orgasm had been rocking them both.

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure. My powers did a weird flare. Knocked you out." She bit her lip and rubbed her arms. She seemed legitimately surprised and even a little frightened. "I can still feel them all in my head, but I can't access them, not fully. I can still use their power." It took him a moment to realize she meant her characters.

"Why are we here?" She smiled a half smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I teleported us here. I only rented the room for a little bit." He scrubbed his hands through his hair.

"What happens now?" Between them, their work. Now she smiled for real.

"I'll keep in better contact, I still have to hunt down Gabriel." Nightwing bit back an angry remark. She had every right to hunt him down and it's not like he had ever tried to stop Barbara, Starfire, or Zatanna from hunting bad guys. She put her hand on his. "I won't do this alone, that's all I'll promise." He sighed, better than nothing.


	40. Chapter 40

True to her word, Jessie kept in close contact, giving regular updates. Together they had fed Gabriel's picture into facial recognition software. It popped out almost forty possible places at once. It had been four and a half months since and they had checked not quite half of the cities. They had to search each person out and rule them out individually.

"He's covering his tracks." she told him. "That's why I've had so much trouble finding him. He can stay off the grid for the most part thanks to his mechanic skills, but he also wants to send anyone following him on a wild goose chase." As it turned out she was using her books to give her a reason to check different cities. It was in genius but a little flashy. Might as well announce that she was looking for him on the billboards. Jessie argued that Gabriel had in fact shown up to one of her book signings once. She hadn't seen him, but she did feel his presence much like she felt Simons. Nightwing wasn't able to argue after that.

Now he tapped the consul trying to think of some way to narrow the list down. He couldn't focus. Every time he looked at the monitor he saw Jessie's pale face. She looked like she was sick. She had a huge jug of water sitting on the table next to her.

"What about the story that your wrote where one of the characters was based on him." Jessie chewed on the bottom of her lip. Thoughtful. She grabbed her water and sipped it. Finally she shrugged,

"It'll take roughly two and a half months to get that story finished, edited, fact checked, published, and onto the shelves." He whistled.

"That long?" she shrugged.

"Depends on what Amy thinks of the rough draft, could be longer, it could be shorter." Nightwing grunted.

"Check." Jessie nodded then made a face like she was about to be sick.

"Excuse me." She jumped up, knocking her chair over. She reached for the key board hitting a button; he assumed to mute the microphone on her end. But she missed it, then stumbled out of the line of sight of the camera. Nightwing clenched his fist against the table and resisted the urge to scream her name. He heard a door bang open then the unmistakable sound of Jessie retching her guts out. He bit his lip until it bled. What was going on, he wanted to scream. Glancing at his phone he resisted the urge to call Batman. Even if he got into a jet an flew to her, what could he do? Forcing himself to sit and wait almost more than he could take. The sound of her vomiting had stopped. At first there was just silence.

"Jessie! Talk to me. What happened?" He heard the sink from somewhere in the hotel room she was staying in. The soft sound of her footsteps came then she set her chair back up before sitting down in it. There were dark circles under her eyes like she wasn't sleeping well, and she looked even more pale than she had before.

"Sorry about that, I ate something bad." Nightwing held her gaze, searching for a lie. There wasn't one, but he couldn't help but feel that her assessment wasn't quite right either. After a moment he nodded.

"Go rest, Jessie." She opened her mouth to protest. "You can't exactly do recon puking your guts out. Besides, Alex said she wants to check in on you." A smile touched her tired face.

"You know she knows that we've hooked up."

"It took her longer than I thought."

"She's known since that morning at the hotel." Nightwing smiled at that. So many fond memories. "Stop!" He turned back to the screen to see a tired scowl on her face. "You don't get to enjoy memories of sex while I'm losing my dinner. You can wait tell I sign off to think about such things." Nightwing had the decency to blush. He supposed she had a fair point.

"Call Amy, send her the manuscript, and see what she thinks." Jessie grunted. "Go to bed Jessie. Take tomorrow off and rest. You won't be able to catch him if you're sick." She growled at him, but she scrubbed her eyes and sighed in defeat moments later.

"Fine. But don't expect you'll always get your way." He chuckled to himself. Stubborn woman.

_I heard that. _Looking at the computer he saw her tired smile

_Stay out of my head and you wouldn't have to hear such things._

_You know as well as I that we are connected._

_But you don't have to listen._ She shrugged.

_You get in trouble when I don't._

"Go to bed." He was done having this argument. She glared at him then flicked off the link. Briefly he wondered if he should go check in on her any way. He discarded that thought almost instantly. Jessie was a big girl, she could take care of herself, even if she still couldn't fully access her powers. That still bothered him. Her mother couldn't explain it any more than she could. He had gone to Jessie's mom and asked, after Jessie had been stubborn and refused to. Jessie and Alex's mother had been very curious about the incident, but she admitted she didn't know why her daughter wouldn't be able to fully take on the body of her characters.

He sighed and glanced at his phone. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Jessie could still use her powers. Actually it was even more efficient. She no longer had problems where she had to become every character or suffer a forced change into every single one, so why did it all make him so uneasy? Tapping the desk he ran his mind in circles trying to figure it out. After a while he was forced to admit defeat, even though worry still gnawed at him. Picking up his phone he punched in Alexandra's number. It rang four times before a yawn answered the phone.

"Sorry to wake you."

"Not as sorry as you're going to be." She groused.

"Can you go check on your sister. She was sick; throwing up, a few minutes ago." He heard the girl shift and he could almost feel her coming more alert. Alexandra had grown more protective over her sister since getting her back. "She's at-"

"No need, I can feel her. I can teleport to her so long as nothing is effecting her mind." He knew that.

"Just send me a message when you check in on her, she might need help for a day or two." Alexandra groaned but he heard what he thought was a zipper being zipped up. Alex like most people in his line of work kept at least one bag packed for emergencies like this.

"No worries." She hung up without another word. A few minutes later his phone buzzed from a text message from Alexandra.

She's sleeping now, I'll stick around a while to watch her.

He sighed in relief, yet couldn't help the feeling that something wasn't the way it was supposed to be.


	41. Chapter 41

Three and a half months later and Jessie had managed to get the story finished and published. It had actually been out for half a month, but they needed time for word to get out since this book hadn't been as planned as the rest of her books. He suspected it would be another hit. He already had a program that was going to sift through all the names and faces and people who were buying the book. It would still be a preverbal needle in a haystack, but it would shorten their list. He tapped he desk agitated. Jessie had said she wanted to talk to him about something. Her tone implied she was afraid. That in and of itself was frightening, very little scared Jessie unless harm to others was involved.

"Relax." He told himself. "Her sister is there with her." It was that moment that his computer beeped. The program had two matches. One right in Happy Harbor and the other in upstate New York in a small town off the coast. Grabbing his jacket and his phone he shot the New York address to Jessie's phone and told her he'd take the Happy Harbor one.

He was off before her response even came in. He saw Megan on his way out and called her down with him.

"Got possible lead on Gabriel." She beamed.

"Does that mean she'll be coming back soon?" The question seemed to have hidden meaning. Nightwing looked back to his friend. She was smirking at him in an knowing amused sort of way. He turned his back to her before color could come to his face.

"Hopefully." He made a quick stop to his room and pulled out a pair of dark pants from his duffle bag that he kept for emergency. They didn't smell so he pulled them on. Next he dug out a button down shirt. It was wrinkled horribly, but he'd make do. Swiftly he buttoned his shirt up and walked back out to meet Megan. She had changed to look human and was dressed in a cute top and comfortable looking skinny jeans.

They opted for the bioship over walking out of the cave's entrance. It wasn't that far, but they didn't want to risk someone following them back and stumbling across the cave secret entrance. Megan put the ship down just on the edge of town and told the ship to fly around in camouflage mood. It made its usual response before disappearing. Together they made their way through town.

"You will be able to feel Gabriel's mind, right?" Megan nodded.

"Not as easily as I can with you or one of the other team members, but I've been in his mind and even healed it, so it shouldn't be hard to spot. Where are we going first?"

"The man's work. He works at an auto body shop near the center of town." They walked together in silence for a while until Megan asked,

"So." he eyed her suspiciously. "How is Bard doing? You guys worked things out?" He gave a withering look to her innocent smile she flashed at him, and he not so innocent question. Megan and subtly with words weren't a possible combination.

"I guess you could say that." Did working things out in bed count? "I assume she's doing fine. I only really see her face when she checks in." And she had wanted to talk to him about something. That didn't bode well for the relationship they had built. Time to change the subject before he got himself into too much trouble. It was never wise to lie with a telepath around,

"How about you? What's going on with La'gaan and Connor?" Silence greeted his inquiry. Turning to look at his teammate he saw she looked dejected and ashamed. Nightwing continued to stroll down the road. "That bad huh?"

"I put my foot in it." Nightwing chuckled.

"I know how that feels. La'gaan seems like he cares for you." Megan seemed to sink into herself. If she had been wearing her costume she would have pulled her hood down over her face as far as the fabric would have allowed.

"That's part of the problem." Nightwing sighed,

"Oh? You still have feelings for Connor?" This time when he looked at her skin was starting to turn red.

"Well, yes, kinda," she sighed and dropped her head into her hands and groaned. "I don't know." she muttered from her hands. He stepped back and threw an arm over her shoulder.

"Ah, relationships. Nothing feels better than a good one, yet they tend to hurt you and the people we care about pretty badly when they go wrong." She nodded and finally dropped her hands. Her eyes were starting to get puffy with tears. He hugged her. "Don't worry, you'll figure it out. Take it from me, sometimes you have to make a mess of everything before you figure out what you need." Megan nodded and they stopped just outside the auto body shop. The letter's of Hank's Auto Body were a very faded red. "You want to scan their minds?" She nodded and Nightwing slipped his arm off Megan and walked up to a man in dark blue jumpsuit. His name tag read Hank in neatly stitched letters.

"Hey man, looking to get an estimate done on a car." The man wiped his hands on his clothes to get most of the grease off. Nightwing took out his phone and showed a picture of a damaged car. Megan reached for Hank's mind. He thought the boy was pulling his leg. The picture he was showing looked like he had gotten it off the internet, not taken them himself. But it couldn't hurt to answer his question. He was done for the day anyway.

"Three hundred bucks I can pop that dent out." Nightwing nodded and glanced around.

"You don't work by yourself, do you?" The man shook his head no. His nephew had the day off today.

"I have a few guys that help me out, but I gave them the day today." Nightwing nodded,

"Alright, I'll send the car down Monday." The man grunted and shook Nightwing's extended hand. He then turned back to Miss Martian bowing his head slightly.

"Miss." He tipped his hat. Megan smiled as Nightwing walked back to her once they were out of hearing range he asked.

"Get anything?" she nodded

"His nephew works with him. Resembles Gabriel. Got his address." Together they made their way to the nephew's house. They staked it out for an hour before a car drove up and parked. A man, woman, and two little boys got out of the car. The woman carried a book, the one that her husband had bought; the very book that had brought them there, a handmade birthday card, and some flowers.

"I'm assuming that's not Gabriel." Megan shook her head no.

"He has a remarkable resemblance, but he's not our guy."

"Guess we'll have to wait on Bard, and see if she got anything." They made their way back. The bioship took them back to the cave and Nightwing checked his phone. Nothing. He sent a message to Jessie.

Bust.

Then he went back up to his computer and changed into his Nightwing gear. He sat at the computer waiting. Hours ticked by with painful slowness. By three AM he was getting agitated. Where was she? He picked up his phone for what had to be the hundredth time. Nothing, he set his phone down. Reclining back into his chair he wondered what could be taking her so long? Reaching for his phone; intending to call her, he was startled out of his chair by the alarm blaring. Looking at the monitors, there was a breach in the hanger bay; from the water level.

He didn't even look to see what it was. Several other team members that were still in residence met him at the hanger doors. Opening them with weapons ready, they moved in. The water was agitated. A large blur launched itself out of the water and landed panting and heaving on the hanger floor. Nightwing sucked in a deep breath to prevent him from screaming out a denial. Muse coughed and spat sea water onto the concrete floor. In one arm was a limp Gabriel. In her other arm was a very pregnant Jessie. Blood was oozing slowly down her back. Muse frantically searched the faces until she found his.

"Nightwing! Help her!" He couldn't help but think back to the vision. It had been only Bard who washed up in the dream. Jessie's warning came to mind.

"I see the future or possible outcomes all the time. I know the danger of running from a possible future. I also know that it may never happen." Oh god, did that mean she could die here? He moved without thought, commanding everyone to different tasks. Gabriel was brought to a secured med center while Bard was rushed to doctors. Muse went to the med center and got a checkup. But she cleared within minutes.


	42. Chapter 42

Nightwing paced outside the hospital room. Doctors were worried for her child. He had originally thought were only slashes. But the doctors found a stab wound hidden within one the deep trenches. It had stopped short of the child, but Jessie had basically been impaled after they had cut her to ribbons.

"You're going to dig yourself a hole if you keep pacing." Muse dressed like a Greek goddess came down the hall with two steaming styrofoam cups. She handed one to him then sat down on a bench outside the room. She watched him over her cup, sipping it every now and again.

"Why?" He whispered the question. Inside he was a storm. He wanted to demand answers of Muse who was sitting next to him, surprisingly calm, while her sister was undergoing surgery just behind the wall she was leaning against.

"Why didn't she tell you? Why did his happen as in her being pregnant? Why is she injured? Why what?" Her voice seemed devoid of emotion. Looking at her eyes she realized there were dark circles under them. A bruise was forming on her left cheek and her knuckles were scraped like she had punched a cement block.

"All of the above." He snapped out. Muse leaned her head back and stared at the hospital ceiling.

"She was going to tell you today. She had only just gone to the doctor recently when she started showing. They confirmed she was indeed pregnant, with your child might I add." Nightwing sucked in a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he was happy or scared by the news. "She got your text, and I was already there because she told our parents the news that they are grandparents." Nightwing winced, he hadn't even considered her parents. "Dad wasn't thrilled, but mom, mom wasn't surprised."

"I suppose I should go see them." Muse nodded a small smile tugging at her lips

"That might be good." She sighed. "I assume she's pregnant with your child because you two had unprotected sex." He laughed without mirth. They had done that a few times. Then it clicked,

"Her powers." Muse nodded,

"None of her characters had been pregnant. Or she hadn't written anything about it yet. So no full transformations for her. Honestly, if she had just asked one of them we might have known sooner."

"Why did she go at all?"

"This is Jessie we are talking about. It wouldn't matter what anyone said she was seeing this through to the end. She wasn't going to risk Simon getting a hold of Gabriel and coming after her again. Especially now since she is carrying your guys' child."

"She banished him!" Nightwing snarled. Even the idea of Gabriel in her head again made him angry to the point of violence. Muse looked at him pointedly.

"Is it truly so easy to banish someone from your heart?" The words were a slap to his face.

"She didn't love him." Muse nodded.

"Certainly not like she loves you. But he was her friend. That alone creates a bond of love, which is not so easy to sever, even with a bit of angelic magic." Nightwing grunted unhappily. He didn't like it, but he couldn't refute her words either. "We went the address you gave us. At first there was nothing. Then she felt him. Gabriel. He came around a corner and nearly walked right into us. Both him and her froze and just stared at each other. Gabriel was surprised to see her, probably more surprised to find she was with child. He didn't resist. He was actually coming peacefully. Then Simon and his goons showed up. It was a free for all. I tried to make her leave; she might even have been about to. But she saw the attacker coming up on my side while I was fighting off another goon. Gabriel was actually holding his own against Simon." She swallowed, and he could see tears in her eyes but she swiped them away. "She jumped in to shield me. I knew she had been slashed but none of us saw the stab. It distracted Gabriel, and Simon got the upper hand. I took a play out of your book. Flash bang grenade right to Simon's face. I grabbed everyone and jumped into the water and teleported here." They sat in silence until a doctor came out a few minutes later. Nightwing stood up as he approached them.

"What's the verdict?"

"We are going to have to do an emergency C section." Nightwing swallowed. "Her body has taken too much damage to support both mother and child. Our concern is that the child might be too young to survive outside her mother's womb. We need to contact her-." Muse stood and cleared her throat.

"I am her sister, and emergency contact. Do whatever you have to save my sister and her child." The doctor nodded and had her sign some paperwork before he disappeared back into the room. Nightwing felt like his knees would give out from underneath him. Muse put one hand under his elbow and the other on his shoulder. Carefully and quickly she propelled him to a seat. Once he was safely sitting down she took both his hands in hers. He was so lost in thought that he almost didn't realize it was no longer Muse standing before him, but a character from on her stories. Her hair had turned silver and her irises turned milky white. Her clothes were white robes. Her ears pulled into pointed ears and she grew about half a foot taller. She stared blankly at him and her white irises swirled. "A name." Nightwing blinked confused.

Then it was Muse that stood before him again. She laughed out loud. Never had he been so confused. There was absolutely nothing funny about any of this. Her sister and niece or nephew were fighting for their lives for crying out loud.

"Thalia, was the muse of comedy. I approve." It took him a moment for him to realize what she was babbling about. Relief warred with joy. If they named their child then they would both live.

"She's having a girl?" Muse tilted her head.

"Didn't I tell you that earlier?" He glared at her.

"No." She smiled at him.

"Well then, yes, your child is a girl." After that, time seemed to go a little faster and the weight that had been pressing against him threatening to crush him was gone. Finally the doctor came back with a tired smile on his face.

"Both mother and daughter are stable. They will both have to stay for a while. If you'd like to visit them you may for a little bit." Nightwing was already walking into the room before the doctor even finished speaking. Jessie lay in the hospital bed her chest wrapped in bandages. Beside her was a incubator with a tiny squirming figure in it. He stopped, and Jessie turned to look at him. The first thing out of her mouth,

"I swear, I planned to tell you." He choked on a laugh and moved to stand beside her bed. Looking down at his daughter he realized she was impossibly small. Her tiny body was red and the only other color was the patch of black fuzz on her head. "What should we name her?" Nightwing smiled,

"Jokes on me, so how about, Thalia?" Jessie chuckled weakly and moaned gingerly touching her back.

"The muse of comedy. Fitting." She thought about it then rolled the name off her tongue. "Thalia Alexandra Grayson. For the aunt who saved her life." Nightwing heard only his own last name. He had wondered about that; wondered if she had second thoughts about them.

_I mean what I say._ He looked into her eyes and saw only truth.

"Is this my niece?" Muse flowed into the room and hovered by Thalia's incubator. She stared wide eyed at the tiny baby. "She's so small." Jessie nodded.

"She a preemie so she's very small."

"Will she be alright?" Jessie looked to her daughter and nodded.

"If she's anything like her parents she'll fight to survive, no matter what." Muse snorted with a flick of her hands in the direction of her clothes she swiftly changed back into her regular clothes.

"What did you name her?"

"Thalia Alexandra Grayson." Alexandra smiled and opened her mouth to say something snarky when the window on the other side of Jessie's bed slid open on its own accord and something flew into the room.


	43. Chapter 43

Nightwing did his best to shield both Jessie and his daughter, but he knew he was on the wrong side of the bed. Jessie growled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like,

"Couldn't have one freakin day." It was humanoid in shape except for the long flowing wings that were having trouble fitting through the window. Once they did finally fit into the room the person turned and stepped into the light. Nightwing's jaw might have dropped a little. The man looked exactly like the paintings of angels. Long white robes with shining silver and gold armor. A sword belted to his waist. His feathers ruffled then smoothed out and he spoke in a strange language. It was Muse who spoke up,

"What do you want Raphael?" The angel smiled and held his hands up to show they are empty. This time he spoke in English his voice soft and musical.

"It is time for the chosen to come with me and be my (he says a word in his own language)."

"I'm sorry then you will have to leave. Because neither I, my sister, or my daughter will be going with you. Not now not ever." Nightwing was a little taken aback, he was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that the angel Raphael really existed. Raphael smiled and none of them liked that smile.

"You do not have a choice. One of the of the chosen lines must come. That was the deal."

"A deal we had no part." Jessie growled. Nightwing moved around the bed to stand between her and the angel. Raphael looked at him and snorted.

"A deal you have benefited from." To Nightwing he said, "You think you can stop me child? I have lived longer than your planet has been alive." Nightwing smiled at him.

"Then you know many people have thought the same thing, but I'm still here." The angel laughed. The sound hurt his ears and drove him to his knees. Jessie cried out and clamped a hand over her ears. Muse crumpled to the ground trying to shield herself from the sound. Little Thalia wailed and waved her tiny hands as if she was trying to push away the terrible sound.

"You have never faced a heavenly being."

"I will go." Gabriel's voice cut through the sound. Everyone turned to see him, Miss Martian, and Superboy standing in the doorway. The young man between them had his hands restrained by inhibitor cuffs. Raphael looked over Gabriel. He extended a hand to Gabriel and Gabriel, Muse, Thalia, and Jessie all glowed with an inner light.

"You are of the bloodlines. I accept." Jessie blinked.

"Say what?" Gabriel gave her an amused half smile.

"There was a miss translation. He's not asking for a bride, he needs a host body for when he comes to earth." Jessie opened her mouth and closed then opened it again. "I found my mother's copy and was reading it. It kinda just hit me. Angels don't marry, not in any sense like we do. So why would he need a bride?"

"Gabriel." He held up his hand to stop her.

"I've caused enough problems. This way Simon can't ever get to you through me. I'm tired of being used, and I'm tired of running and hiding."

"So you'll become a vessel for an angel?" He grinned.

"I choose it. Call it my own penance for what I did." Jessie looked at Raphael who stood there silently. The angel wasn't reacting to anything that was being said, just waiting patiently. He apparently could afford to wait now that he had a volunteer.

"Is what he says true?" Raphael turned the full power of his gaze on her. She shivered but held his gaze.

"He speaks the truth."

"If he's your vessel, Simon will have no power over him?" The angel nodded. Jessie blew out a breath and looked to Nightwing. Nightwing shrugged.

"I can certainly think of worse punishments for him." Gabriel chuckled darkly.

"And I you." Both men looked at each other. Neither liked the other. They would never be friends and they would never get along, however, both shared a mutual respect of an opponent. Gabriel glanced at Thalia then turned back to Nightwing. "Never forget that there is someone who would gladly kill you and take your place. Don't screw up."

"I'm not you." Snarled Nightwing. Gabriel chuckled and then stepped to Raphael. Light bathed the room and Gabriel was gone leaving only the broken cuffs lying on the floor where he once stood. Raphael turned to go then hesitated at the window. Glancing back he looked at the tiny child who was squirming and crying in the incubator. His wings shifted closer to him and he plucked a single feather from his wing before walking to Thalia's incubator. He laid the feather on her tiny chest. The feather changed, solidifying and changing color. A small gold feather hung from simple chain. Thalia slowly started turning from red to a more normal color and she got bigger.

"It seems I've caused you some trouble too. Accept this gift as an apology." Then without another word he walked back to the window and disappeared out it. Nightwing looked from his daughter to Jessie, to Megan. After a moment of silence he asked,

"What the hell is going on?" Megan cleared her throat then explained about the interrogation she had been having with Gabriel. She had felt it the same moment he had, when the angel had appeared. With Super boy's help they had made it to the bioship without being noticed and they had flown here just in the nick of time. Gabriel had explained what he knew on the ride, even showed her his family's copy of the letter. She handed the soggy letter to Nightwing who looked it over. Nightwing sighed looking at Thalia. The rest could wait until later. He asked Jessie,

"What did that feather do?" Jessie reached over and picked up the little necklace.

"Raphael is the angel of healing. If I had to guess, I'd say he ensured she would be healthy." Nightwing took the little charm. If he hadn't seen the feather get plucked from the angel's wing he would have said there was nothing special about it other than it was solid gold. Before he could say anything else Megan asked,

"What did you name her?" She was hovering next to Thalia.

"Thalia Alexandra Grayson." Megan beamed at the small child and Muse gave Connor a meaningful look.

"So you two thinking of having one?" Both Megan and Connor blushed and sputtered. Jessie covered her mouth to hide her smile and Nightwing snorted and told her,

"Don't be mean, Alexandra." Jessie cleared her throat making everyone look back at her.

"Megan, I don't know if you know this, but on earth we have a custom of naming a god parent to the child. It's someone who will mentor the child and occasionally spoil them. Would you consent to being Thalia's godmother?" Megan's eyes widened.

"I'd love to!" She floated over and hugged Jessie and Nightwing. The conversation steered towards the future. The rest of the team stopped in to visit and see the baby, along with Jessie's family. All in all not a bad night thought Nightwing looking at his family, but he could do without any more surprises.


	44. Epilogue

About seven years later. A young girl rushed the small snow drift. Her breath came out in small clouds. She rolled out of the snow and dusted herself off. She wore a dark purple coat, matching mittens, snow pants, and high boots. A slender necklace flopped against her chest as she rolled to her feet. A small golden feather. The girl turned and looked at the woman who was watching her from the side walk.

"Mom! Where's dad?" Her mother wore a long dark green coat, black leather gloves, dark jeans, and snow boots. Her long coppery hair much like her daughter's hair was tied back in a ponytail. She thought about her daughters question then turned and looked around at the surrounding buildings around the small park.

"Somewhere, close." Her daughter stamped her foot impatiently. Then she turned and glared at all the buildings. Dad was always late, but not today. He had promised and her mom had reassured her that he was here. The girl pulled off her mittens and stuffed them in her pocket. Then she buried her hands into the snow drift that she rolled through not moments ago. She had a dazed expression on her face, then she smiled looking up at a balcony up and off to her right.

"There." The snow on the roof slid down and landed with a plop onto the balcony. A figure jumped back a little too late. Snow pounded his back and head.

"That's cold Thalia." The girl grinned and pulled her hands out of the snow. His daughter; like her mother, was gifted. Though Thalia thankfully didn't seem to have the draw backs her mother had. This amazing little child could manipulate any natural material she laid her tiny little hands on. Wood, air, water, stone, earth, metals, even some cloth. She could even extend herself through any such material hence her ability to find him so easily. He wiped more snow from his coat. However, none of that seemed to give her an immunity to the cold, her fingers were already turning red like her cheeks.

"There you are. Come on. Let's build a snowman!" Then the girl paused and looked around. "Where is aunt Megan and uncle Connor?" Her lower lip pulled out in a pout that she had learned from her mother. Dick watched as his daughter's face fell and he jumped down and scooped her up and swung her around just to keep her from crying.

"No worries little one, they are coming. They had to round up some friends." Instantly she looked so excited, already forgetting being upset. It must be nice to have no worries and such a simple outlook on life. Thalia dusted the last bit of snow from her father's hair.

"When?" She whined. Dick chuckled and walked over to Jessie carrying their daughter. He kissed her and Thalia made her gross face. Jessie laughed,

"Just wait, maybe you'll find a boy you want to kiss." Their daughter scrunched up her nose and Dick mirrored her expression and covered his daughters ears.

"Why would you tell her such things?" Thalia dragged her father's hands away and told her mother quite frankly.

"Boys are mean and gross." Dick nodded in agreement.

"Your mom is just crazy." Thalia nodded solemnly. "No worries, I'll take care of her." He promised his daughter. Jessie snorted and bent down to gathered up a bit of snow packing it into a tight ball. She watched her husband with amusement and a glint in her eyes that had Dick backing up.

"Oh, you'll take care of me huh? And who's going to take care of you?"

"Thalia, I think it's time to run." He set her down and the snowball crashed into his chest sending him flying into the pile of snow.

"You know Thalia, you are right boys are mean." The little girl beamed at her mother. "Wanna throw snow at your dad until aunt Megan comes to help?" The girl bobbed her head and Dick started to get up and protest, but a smaller snowball collided with his face. He spat out the snow and ice and stared at his daughter who giggled guiltily.

"This isn't fair! Two super powered women against one lowly human man." Jessie snorted.

"You did this to yourself." She smiled mischievously "Besides you've faced worse before." Before he could answer another snowball exploded on the back off his head sending snow and ice down his back. He danced around trying to get the snow out before it melted and saw Megan, Connor, Artemis, Wally, Kaldur'ahm, Barbara, Cassie, Jamie, Garfield, Bart, and Alexandra.

"Mind if we join in?" Thalia whooped.

"Girls vs boys! Girls rule!"

"Bring it kid." Laughed Bart. The men moved to stand by Dick while all the ladies when to stand by Jessie and Thalia and it was a free for snow fight. Walls of snow and ice were erected in seconds, strategies were planned. Then it was all out war. Snow flew through the air as people took aim at their opponents. Impulse tried running around but Thalia changed the composition of the snow to ice making his speed next to useless. So he was reduced to ammo production. Those people who could fly were limited to the ground to make sure everything was more fair. And those with super strength did have to hold back for fear of hurting Thalia or any of the other more breakable people. Connor, Jamie, and Kaldur'ahm took up positions in front facing off against Cassie, Alexandra, and Jessie. Thalia hung back and used her power to make ammunition. Barbara and Megan moved around like Garfield and Dick for sneak attack shots. Artemis and Wally seemed to making pelting each other the most their own personal mission. Dick seeing his chance snuck around the snow walls and tackled Jessie kissing her.

"Thank you." He said breathlessly.

"For what?" she laughed.

"All of this." He gestured to his daughter and all the young heroes whooping and having a good time. "You made this possible." She shook her head no.

"We all made this possible."

**END**


End file.
